Hope Is The Thing With Feathers
by Divinia Serit
Summary: Cap/Hill 30 Day OTP Challenge. Set after The Avengers, before CA:TWS, but Iron Man 3 doesn't happen. Ch.2: "I think Captain America is courting me with food."
1. Day 1: Dancing

A/N1: I wrote this for the 30 Day OTP Challenge that's floating around. I have already rearranged the prompts because this is where I wanted to start. I think this will give me a good break in between chapters on my Mechanical Hearts series. I decided I wanted to use Maria/Steve for this one! Knowing me, this will be complete headcanon and entirely 100% AU.

A/N2: The title is from the Emily Dickinson poem of the same name.

A/N3: I'll probably post this all as one story.

* * *

**Day 1: Dancing**

Maria Hill twisted a strand of long, brunette hair out of her face and bit back a smile. The linen tablecloth was magically still bright white despite the first courses of ceviche and tomato bisque that threatened to stain it. (The pre-dinner cocktails (plural) were another story.) That, in itself, was enough triumph for the night. She swirled the fine merlot in her glass once more before downing the last bit in a gulp. It had been a fun evening spent with a woman she had served with and actually managed to keep in touch despite classified missions on both sides.

Lieutenant Colonel Daniella Desmond was career military, choosing to stay with the Marines when she had been recruited to SHIELD. She hadn't realized how much she had missed her friend until the phone call last week stating she was flying in to New York for a conference. Plans had quickly been made, and it hilariously involved getting dressed up and running up the bill on Desmond's soon-to-be-ex-husband's credit card. And so, Maria found herself in a little black dress, with her hair down, laughing in the first time since God knows when.

"Shit, I'm stuffed. Let's go dancing," the blonde said as she tossed her napkin on the table.

"Jeez Dani, how old are you?" Maria said with a half grin.

"Old enough to know I'll be sore in the morning," Dani retorted. "This desk shit's for the birds."

Maria snorted and considered the options. Envy had both drinks and dessert, along with a more mature crowd. The Avengers had already made one public appearance this month so the likelihood of running into them was slim. Not that her friend wasn't aware who she worked for. She was thankfully high enough on the classified scale ranking to be made aware of SHIELD although specifics weren't shared.

"I know a place," she eventually concluded and the duo headed out the door.

Steve Rogers shifted uncomfortably, wishing he had brought his sketchbook. He had made the mistake of mentioning to Tony earlier that he wanted to get out of the tower for the night. In all honesty, he had meant a walk or maybe a movie, but Tony Stark never did things halfway. And so, he found himself on the private second floor of a club that Tony owned dressed in clothes Pepper had acquired for him. He sighed.

"Whatcha think, Capsicle?" Tony asked as he gestured at the atmosphere around him.

"It's not exactly what I meant when I said I wanted to get out for the night," he muttered.

Steve downed the last of his beer, and an ever-present waiter quickly placed another one beside him. He nodded his thanks, and Pepper gave him a sympathetic glance.

"I'd say you could pick one of the ladies out of the crowd to dance with, but we all remember what happened last time," Tony said with a slight shudder as he glanced at the crowd below.

The first floor was packed with people who continued to glance upward in hopes of catching a glimpse of Stark or one of the Avengers. Once word had gotten out that Tony owned the place, business boomed continuously. Steve made a face at Tony's comment.

"Thanks, but no thanks, Stark."

"You're welcome to join our dart game, Steve," Natasha offered from where she stood with Barton.

"I dared him to play blindfolded," she added in a matter of fact manner.

Barton just shrugged, and Steve had to smile at that.

"I'm fine, Tasha," he said with a smile. "I'm just not great company tonight."

"I don't know, Rogers. Some of these girls are pretty-," Stark paused at a sharp look from Pepper. "good looking, platonically speaking of course."

Steve sighed, resigned to Stark's attempts at matchmaking and leaned over the railing to glance at the dance floor below.

"Holy Shit!" Tony exclaimed. "Is that Hill?"

Steve zeroed in on where Tony was pointing and locked his eyes on the statuesque brunette weaving her way through the crowd with a blonde beside her. He blinked. She was in a dress. A very short dress with long sleeves that flared out ever so slightly. And dear god, her legs went on forever. She leaned in closer to the woman beside her, before throwing her head back in a laugh.

"Is she smiling?" Tony asked incredulously.

The billionaire leaned over the railing.

"HILL! Hey Maria!"

Steve watched as her face tightened, her head cocked slightly to the side as she heard the faint echoes of her name. Frowning, she looked around before her eyes fell on Stark. With a roll of her eyes, her face smoothed into her usual expressionless mask as the blonde beside her pulled her towards the stairs.

"Motherfucker," Maria whispered as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

Dani elbowed her before grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the stairs with a knowing look.

"Come on, Mare. It'll be fun!"

"Dealing with Stark is not my idea of fun," she whined as they headed up the stairs.

"Damn Hill! You clean up nicely!" Stark said with a grin when they reached the top.

Maria just glared at him.

"I was really hoping we wouldn't run into you tonight," she muttered, as Dani hit her in the shoulder.

"I see your manners haven't improved in twelve years," the blonde said with a smile. "I'm Dani Desmond."

"Lieutenant Colonel," Maria added. "Sit down, Rogers!"

She barked as Rogers started to salute. Dani just laughed, and pulled her towards the booth.

"How did you two meet?" Pepper asked politely.

"We served together before Mare went dark and joined SHIELD," Dani replied.

"You were military?" Steve questioned with a strange look on his face.

"Oohrah, Army Boy," Maria answered with a wry grin as she stole his beer. "Over 600 flight hours logged in combat."

The rest of the Avengers gave her an odd look, and Maria shrugged.

"I don't like to talk about it," she added by way of explanation. "DD stayed a devildog when Fury recruited me after our 3rd Tour."

The conversation continued for a little while longer, until Dani glanced at her watch with a groan.

"I better get going. I have an early flight."

"Where are you headed?" Pepper asked. "Happy can drop you off so you don't have to catch a cab."

Dani nodded her thanks as she stood. Maria went to follow her, and Dani gave her a pointed look.

"Nope. You're staying. You don't get out enough as it is," she ordered.

Her eyes flew to Steve, and she grinned.

"Captain Rogers, I demand you keep this woman here for at least another hour."

Steve smiled and saluted as Maria groaned.

"I hate you," she told her friend.

"I know," Dani replied cheerfully and gave her a hug. "Next time, Hill."

She left with a wave, and Maria was saddled with Tony's appraising stare.

"Huh," he said after a moment. "I never would have guessed you had a life outside of SHIELD."

"Fuck off," she replied before turning to Steve. "Dance with me, Captain. I've had entirely too much to drink to sit here and listen to Stark."

"Yes ma'am," he replied and allowed her to lead him off.

"Huh," Tony repeated again. "I think Capsicle has a crush."

"I think you're right," Barton said as he slid down in the vacated seat with a look towards the retreating couple.

Tony continued to watch them for a moment, before pulling out his phone.

"Leave them alone, Tony," Pepper said with a sigh.

"I'm just texting the DJ," he replied with an innocent grin.

Almost immediately the music slowed as Frank Sinatra started to croon.

"Fuck you, Stark!" Maria called as she flipped him off.

Steve's shoulders started to shake with laughter. He smiled a half smile and pulled her closer.

"I do believe you're drunk, Maria," he commented.

"I'm pretty sure you're correct," she retorted.

"Are you always this snarky after a night out?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," she said with a grin.

She leaned into him with a sigh as the song started to wind down. His hand slid to her lower back, and she gave him a rueful look. Without warning, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his cheek and pulled away.

"Thanks for the dance and the distraction, Rogers."

Running a hand through her hair, she gave him a slightly unreadable look, before smiling a small smile and heading towards the stairs. Steve watched her head for the door, his head spinning. Looking down, he smiled softly before heading back to the others. Pepper was smiling at him, and Tony just grinned.

"You like her!" Stark announced as if he had found the secret to world peace.

Steve's eyes widened.

"I was just being polite," he responded cautiously.

The rest of the table exchanged a knowing look, and Steve just sighed.

"We need to get Hill drunk more often," Clint commented.

"Who knew she could be fun?" Tony added, still surprised by the agent's behavior.

"She's always like that outside of work," Natasha said knowingly.

The redhead ignored the befuddled expressions of the rest of the group.

"Huh," Tony replied thoughtfully for the third time that night.

Steve just groaned.


	2. Day 2: Doing Something Sweet

A/N: Thanks for the reviews and follows! Makes me happy :)

PS: Maria cusses like a sailor. It case you didn't get that feeling last chapter. Heh.

* * *

**Day 2: Doing Something Sweet **

It had been almost two weeks since that night at the club, and Maria still hadn't heard a peep from Tony Stark. She frowned. A healthy dose of paranoia in her line of work was necessary, but this was getting ridiculous. Turning back to the files in front of her, she wrinkled her nose in annoyance and got back to work. Who knew there was so much paperwork involved in saving the world? Forms in triplicate be damned. A sudden knock pounded at the door, and she glanced up at the clock with a scowl. Her next meeting wasn't for another two hours.

"Yes?" she barked, annoyed at the disturbance.

Steve Rogers entered her office with two cups in his hand, and nudged the door closed with his foot. He paused, taking in her unreadable expression before offering her one of the cups. Her face still masked, she took the offering with a slightly narrowed gaze. She took a sip of the warm beverage, and lifted an eyebrow in surprise.

"You've been talking to Romanov," she said.

He shrugged.

"Natasha told me you preferred tea. The coffee shop down the street has a pretty nice Darjeeling blend. My favorite is their fall black with orange blossom."

Her lips quirked upward in a small smile.

"I never would have taken you for a tea connoisseur, Rogers," she said while inhaling the delicious aroma.

"I had you pegged as a coffee drinker, only black," he replied with a teasing jest.

She rolled her eyes.

"Everything okay at the Tower?" she questioned while gesturing for him to sit.

After the Chitauri Invasion, the Avengers had holed up in Stark Tower. Tony stated it was for security purposes, and Maria thought he had a point. It did make communication with them easier, despite her constant worry that the block might be leveled or the constant paparazzi camped outside. Things had been surprisingly quiet on a world security level which meant the Council was chomping at the bit to start new projects especially threat assessment.

"It's strange," Steve started. "I never went to camp as a child, but I imagine this is what it's like. Tony was nice enough to give us our own floors, so the privacy isn't a problem. I just don't know what to do with myself."

Maria nodded, a thoughtful look on her face.

"I'll see if I can come up with any missions for you," she said after a moment. "You could also volunteer. I can get you a list of places that you might be interested in helping out."

He grinned at her in surprise, and she felt her skin tingle.

_Down girl._

"Thank you," he said. "I know you're busy, so I'll head out, but I appreciate your offer."

She cocked her head to the side in amusement, her eyes softening.

"You're the one that brought me tea," she replied as he quietly slipped out of her office.

She took another sip, and turned back to the piles of paper in front of her.

Curious.

Over the next two weeks, the random cups of tea continued. Sometimes it was oolong, sometimes darjeeling, and on a day where she felt slightly stuffy, a cup of chamomile appeared. Occasionally a baked good would appear on her desk while she was at a meeting. The first time it happened, she frowned at the lonely apple cinnamon muffin beside the cup of tea. She wasn't sure what to think of this step up in friendly offerings. She probably stared at it for an hour before breaking off chunks in between requisition statements and other reports.

Today she was running late with a killer headache thanks to a long winded discussion with the World Security Council. She radiated anger, and the crowds in the hallway parted to let her through. There were benefits to being a bitch, she mused. She shut her office door with a click and turned toward her desk. A small salad topped with mandarin oranges and almonds sat beside a cup of what smelled like that black and orange blossom tea Rogers had mentioned earlier. Her mouth opened and then closed, but the rumble from her stomach kept her from doing anything rash. Sitting down, she grabbed a forkful of lettuce and started chewing thoughtfully.

* * *

"I think Captain America is courting me with food," she announced after shutting the door to Fury's office.

The man in front of her shot her an annoyed glare and put aside his tablet. He fought to keep a smile from forming at the baffled expression plastered on his Deputy Director's face. Maria turned towards him, her face a mixture of emotions.

"Did you just say courting?" Fury asked with a twitch of his lips.

"Well I don't think he expects me to strip for a muffin, and he's being all sneaky about the whole charade."

"That's a mental image I didn't need, Agent."

"What do I do?"

"Well, Hill, that's your decision. No one's bringing me any damn muffins."

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"I'm not a nice person," she stated.

"You're a person that has to make the hard decisions," he countered back.

She frowned.

He tried not to laugh at his normally composed second who was so thrown off over baked goods and tea.

"Look Maria," he said softly. "I've known you a very long time. People like you and me don't always get the happy ending. We're too busy making sure the rest of the damn world does. So, as long as it doesn't affect your job, do whatever the hell you want."

"You going to apply to Hallmark?" she retorted.

"Fuck off, Hill," he said with a small smile.

She stood with a sigh.

"Glad we could have this moment of bonding time," she dryly stated.

He chuckled and shooed her to the door.

"Get back to work, and tell Rogers I want a damn pumpkin muffin next time he makes a bakery run."

* * *

"You're like a fucking Keebler elf," she commented the next time he nudged her door open. "Always showing up with food."

He smirked, and handed her a brown paper bag. She glanced into it and grinned. Cranberry-Orange scones- her favorite. She walked around the other side of her desk, and leaned against it. Crossing her arms, she studied him.

"Is this some veiled comment on my weight, Captain?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow.

He had the decency to look somewhat embarrassed.

"It was the only way I could keep Tony from barging in."

"By feeding me?"

"He said if I didn't make a move, he'd make one for me."

Maria shuddered slightly at the thought of Stark getting involved. Unable to resist temptation any longer, she reached into the bag and broke a chunk off the scone.

"So, is this you making a move Rogers?" she questioned, her face blank. "Or are you just trying to keep Stark off your back?"

"I thought about just kissing you, but I wasn't sure if you'd shoot me," he answered honestly.

She snorted, choking briefly on the scone. She waved off his concerned glance, and took a gulp of tea. Putting the cup down, she regarded him seriously for a moment. He took a step closer to her, and she stilled. He shifted his weight, uncertain. The man was like a goddamned puppy.

"How about dinner?" he asked.

"Why?"

"Because we need food to survive?" he answered with a befuddled expression.

He stared at her, and she sighed. Fucking golden retriever. She rolled her eyes.

"Why me?"

"You're the only one who treats me like Steve Rogers, and not some damned superhero."

She raised an eyebrow at the swear, and he huffed. In a single step, he was in front of her, his hand lifting her chin. He pulled her mouth to his, and holy fucking shit, her mind went blank. His teeth tugged at her bottom lip, and her hand grasped his shirt to hold him close. She was thankful she was half-leaning against her desk, because her legs were embarrassingly weak at his surprise declaration of affection. _Shit, Hill. _He pulled back, his thumb brushing her cheek and his eyes boring into hers.

She exhaled slowly, let her hand fall to her side, and got her thoughts back under control as he reluctantly pulled away.

"Typically, you don't kiss a girl till after the first date," she drawled.

"Last time, I didn't get that chance."

She sobered, her eyes meeting his once more. Goddamnit. He was genuinely sincere. Fucking puppy. She closed her eyes briefly, and grabbed her tablet from her desk. He watched her closely as she stood, and almost brushed passed him. She stopped, and leaned toward him; Her mouth close to his ear, and her hand on his arm.

"You can pick me up at eight, _Cap_."

He swallowed hard.

She left her office and didn't look back.


	3. Day 3: Holding Hands

A/N: I've been writing for two days and nothing was coming out right. Ugh. So we've ended up with some Fury and Hill friendship, and Hill hurt and comfort, because I love angst. Also, there's a reference to one of my favorite bloggers (The Blogess) in this chapter. Bonus points if you catch the reference!

Additional Note at the End

* * *

Day 3: Holding Hands

Maria Hill was enjoying her first quiet night at home in months. She had a long-overdue book and a blanket waiting for her on the couch as soon as her tea finished steeping. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, and she had quickly changed into her favorite pair of grey yoga pants minutes after walking in the door. The television blared softly in the background, and she looked up occasionally to see the creations the chefs were creating. After dropping the tea bag into the cup of boiling water, she turned her attention away from the show and reflected on the last few weeks.

She and Steve had slipped away for dinner and drinks when her schedule allowed it, and she was reluctant to admit that she enjoyed his company. His banter was witty and teasing, something she hadn't expected from the seemingly reserved Captain. She was actually having fun. It had only been three dates, and unfortunately she had been called away on emergencies each time towards the end. If Fury hadn't already given his approval she would have suspected he had a hand in the lack of being able to finish a date. Tonight the Avengers were making a public appearance downtown, and she took the opportunity to catch up on laundry.

She padded to the basement floor of her town home and switched out the load of laundry with her dog at her heels. She had picked up Hermes from her next door neighbor earlier that night, thanking the woman for keeping the golden retriever. She loved where she lived. It was private, and everyone kept to themselves. Her town home opened into a small courtyard and grassy area, unusual for the city and well worth the addition to the price tag. Hermes's nails clicked behind her, and he nosed Maria's hand, eager for attention. Maria scratched him behind the ears, and headed back upstairs to grab her tea. Just as she was heading to the couch, her phone rang with Fury's name flashing across the screen.

"You better be calling to tell me who won the quick fire challenge," she grumbled.

"Did you see the motherfucking soufflé Juanita made?

She rolled her eyes.

"I just turned on the tv," she replied.

"I would have used goat cheese and rosemary," he knowingly retorted.

"Ah yes, such a wonderful, yet sharp flavor combination," she said dryly.

"Are you sassing me, Hill?"

"No sass, sir. Just superior taste buds."

Hermes whined at the door, and Maria went to let him out. Fury chuckled.

"Chris was eliminated."

"Good," Maria answered while opening the door. "I didn't like him."

She felt a sharp pain in her right arm and looked down, confused. The skin was torn and bleeding, and she instantly ducked behind the door frame.

"Hermes, go to Nina's," she called knowing the dog would head towards her neighbor's steps.

"Hill?" Fury questioned, his voice sharp.

"I've got unknown hostiles, sir. A bullet just grazed my arm."

Fury cursed. Maria grabbed her Glock from the entry table as another bullet broke through the hall window.

"_Shit_."

"I'm sending the Avengers your way, Hill."

"Seriously?" she griped and headed to the stairs.

"They're the closest to your position."

"I just finished remodeling. If my house is destroyed, I'm sending you the bill," she muttered as her door was kicked in.

She fired once, and the first guy dropped with a thud. This is why she had hardwood floors, she mused. Bloodstains on the carpet was bad for resell value.

She heard the sound of glass shattering, and the metal scrap of a canister rolling. It went off with a bang, and smoke started to fill the first floor.

"It's an extraction," she said quietly. "They're not trying to kill me."

"That's a plus," Fury said, his voice tight.

She ducked into the third floor hall, and was met with three masked figures.

"Fuck," she said and dropped the phone.

The one closest to her slammed her into the wall, and the gun fell from her grasp. His hands were at her throat, fingers bruising. She let her head fall forward and made her body limp, and his grip loosened. She reeled her head back before smashing her forehead into his face. He dropped her, clutching his bloody face with both hands. The other two joined in the fight, and she winced when a few of their punches hit their mark. She knew they were getting frustrated as she continued to evade them. She coughed hard, as the smoke continued to rise. She had to stall for time.

She heard the chambered round of a gun click into place, and she ran. She threw open the door of the rooftop terrace, and was quickly slammed to the ground. Her vision swam, and she blinked back the fuzziness. A boot thudded into her side, and she gasped, trying to draw in air. She was hauled to her feet, and she slowed, stumbling. The figure on her right was pulled off-balance and she slammed her fist into his face while pulling away.

The wind started to pick up, and she regretted the fact she was barefoot. Protecting her ribs, she kept her left arm close to her body and warily eyed the remaining figures. Tires squealed in front of her house, and for once she was relieved to see the Avengers. She took a step back, scenarios racing through her mind. The five men surrounding her exchanged glances, as thundering steps could be heard inside.

The next few moments happened in a blur. Rogers and Romanov appeared in the doorway, as one of the figures raised a gun in her direction. Her eyes widened for a fraction, and she dove to the side to avoid the bullet. She stumbled to her feet. Another figure came charging towards her, and she felt the breath leave her body as she was propelled backward. She flung her arm out, scrambling to get ahold of something as the edge of the building came racing towards her. She heard Steve cry out her name as her hand looped over the edge of the railing.

She scrambled for purchase, her body scrapping against the brick and concrete. She closed her eyes in pain and drew in a hitched breath as her grip began to slip. She could feel herself sliding, and Steve was too damned far away. She could see Tony Stark, sans suit, looking up at her in horror. Abruptly she was thankful for the fact Nina worked evenings and her other neighbors were on vacation.

The concrete pulled at her skin, and she glimpsed Steve's panicked face, eyes wild, as her world began to tilt. Her hands skidded across the building searching for something to stop her fall.

She reached, hands grasping.

Their fingers brushed.

His hand locked around hers, and she let out a pained cry as the jarring motion slammed her back against the building.

His hand was solid and strong, and he pulled her up in what seemed like no time at all and forever all in one.

He pulled her to his chest, arms wrapped around her, as her knees gave out. He lowered her to the floor, her hand still clasped in his. She leaned against his chest, and could feel the strain of his heart still beating madly in his chest. She drew in a shaky breath, her eyes closed. In the background, she heard the dull thud of a body dropping as Natasha dispatched the last intruder.

Despite her protest, Steve carefully lifted her into his arms and headed back inside. He deposited her gently on the couch, and her eyes dimly registered the broken tea cup on the floor. She gave it a look of regret, pressing her hand to her ribs.

"I have a first aid kit in the bathroom," she rasped, and Steve left with a nod.

Tony and Barton appeared beside her, and she slowly moved into a sitting position. Steve returned with a wet washcloth, and gave her a disapproving glare for moving. Natasha entered shortly after with Hermes beside her. The dog wagged his tail as he approached his owner, before resting his chin on her leg. She absentmindedly rubbed his head, while the others looked at her in surprise.

"Welcome to my house," she said with a heavy sigh.

"When you're all patched up, we're going to have a nice long talk about how you live in an area where homes go for $8 million," Tony said incredulously.

A car door slammed, and she tensed. Natasha waved her off. Steve stepped closer to her, unsure of how he should act. He settled for brushing his hand against her shoulder.

"Fury went to pick up Banner," she replied to ease the agent's distress.

Maria groaned, as the two men carefully entered.

"I think you need a new door, Hill," Fury commented as he set a bag down on her coffee table.

She glared, and raised her tank top so Banner could examine her ribs. Hermes thumped his tail before waddling over to Fury who scratched his back with familiarity.

"I just painted that one."

"I'll get some agents over immediately to secure the windows too," he said seriously.

She nodded, and gestured to the bag with a raised eyebrow.

"Soufflé," was all he said.

"Goat cheese and rosemary?" she questioned.

"Damn straight."

* * *

A/N2: In my headcanon, Fury loves to watch reality tv, especially cooking competitions, and calls Hill to discuss them. (It amuses me.) This series will also have a different backstory for Maria, which will be explained (ie- her townhouse) in a future chapter.


	4. Day 4: Kissing

A/N: Continuation from last chapter with a little more Maria backstory.

* * *

Maria grit her teeth as Bruce pulled the tape tighter around her midsection. One, possibly two fractured ribs, but as long as she didn't overdo it, they should heal quickly. Right. Her voice was still raspy and her throat had swollen slightly as dark bruising started to appear on the previously unmarred skin.

"Do we know who they were?" she asked, her eyes flickering between Romanov and Fury.

"Cyanide capsules," was all Natasha said.

Maria let out an exasperated huff, and gingerly rose to her feet. The look on Fury's face made her roll her eyes and sink back down to the couch.

"I've called a team in to repair the damage," Fury said. "Are you following your usual protocol?"

"I'll call the realtor in the morning," she replied with a nod and a sour expression.

"Any recent threats?" he asked.

"No more than the usual," she added to the concerned stares of the rest of the group.

Fury nodded, his eyes appraising her once more. He frowned, then left without a word. She wearily rubbed a hand over her face, and Hermes put his chin on her leg. She gently massaged under his chin, and the dog's tail continued to wag.

"Seven damn incident free years," she muttered. "I liked this place too."

"Speaking of which," Tony cajoled. "Upper East Side?"

"I use my mother's maiden name," she said, locking eyes with him.

His eyes narrowed, and she could tell he was shuffling through society information in his brain. The rest of the group watched with wary interest. She had always been closed off about her past, although the rumors had circulated. His eyes widened, flashing back to hers.

"Holy Shit! You're Montgomery Townsend III's daughter!"

She ground her teeth, and gave him a reluctant nod.

"I'd forgotten he had a daughter."

"So did he, unless he needed to beat the crap out of something," she said bluntly.

Tony blanched, but held her gaze. The rest of the room remained silent. It was becoming a common theme.

"You're coming to the Tower," Tony said firmly.

She leveled a glare in his direction.

"Excuse me?" she questioned pointedly.

"It's secure, and we have a doctor on call," he replied with an innocent smile. "Capsicle, convince her."

The man in question turned suddenly, his face slightly red after being caught browsing the items on her bookshelf while turning over the new information he'd just learned. A book wobbled, then fell off the shelf, and he caught it with one hand before quickly putting it back. Maria closed her eyes, fighting back the headache. She inhaled deeply, then stood, her face impassive.

"Fine. Just nobody touch anything," she ordered and motioned for her dog to stay.

She carefully picked her way up the stairs, avoiding broken glass. Surprisingly, the house wasn't too destroyed. She pushed open her bedroom door with a sigh, and grabbed a duffle out of the closet. She recognized the sound of footsteps outside her door, and lifted her head to see Steve standing sheepishly by the doorframe.

"I'm sorry you had to find out that way," she muttered, turning back to her packing.

"I don't care," he said seriously.

He put his hand on her lower back and gently turned her towards him. Now that they were alone, she could see the anger and worry clouding his eyes as he carefully checked her over himself. He ran his fingers gently down her side, frowning at the hitch in her breathing. His hand ghosted up her arm, before trailing lightly across her throat. Gently, he cupped her check, his thumb brushing across her skin, and she allowed herself the brief moment of comfort. He pressed a featherlight kiss to her lips, and pulled away. Maria could see his fists clenched in anger.

"I'm fine, Steve," she said softly.

"I almost lost you," he replied, his eyes stormy.

This time he kissed her with more urgency. It was a clash of teeth and tongues, and somehow her hair came loose from her ponytail and his hands were running through the long strands. It was concern and reassurance, and a battle of needs and wants. Then she winced, and he let go. She stared back at him with a half-lidded gaze, her lips swollen, and her face flushed. He felt a wave of heat shoot through his body, and his nostrils flared as he exhaled slowly.

"We finally get time together, and it hurts to breath," she said dryly.

He chuckled, and ran his thumb over her lips. Her eyes darkened.

"Don't start something we can't finish."

He smiled a real smile that reached his eyes. Leaning forward, he kissed her softly on the forehead and headed towards the door.

"Can you get the dog food?" she asked. "Natasha knows where it is."

He nodded and left her to her thoughts as she pulled a few extra outfits from the dresser. Heading into the master bath, she dumped her most used toiletries into the bag before zipping it with a sigh. She added 'calling professional movers' to her mental list. She'd clear out the sensitive stuff, like the small arsenal she kept locked up, later this week. She softly padded downstairs, and dropped her bag by the couch. Stark was giving Hermes a slightly unsure look.

"I go, he goes," she stated firmly, and the billionaire sighed.

"Well, let's get this party started," Stark said with a clap of his hands as they headed outside.

The ride to the tower was quiet, and Steve kept an eye on Maria as she leaned against the door, staring out the window. She stayed silent, shifting uncomfortably every few minutes. Softly, Steve reached up and pulled her back. She stiffened, resisting at first, and her eyes darted around the limo before she slumped against his chest. Stark and Barton continued to watch with feigned disinterest. The events of the day eventually caught up with her, and she felt her eyes droop. She tried to fight it, but eventually gave in, the soft rolling of the vehicle lulling her to sleep.

"So, you two?" Banner questioned softly.

"It's new," Steve replied, daring the others to make a comment.

For once, Stark remained silent, his eyes fixed on the sleeping Deputy Director with a small frown. The tension left her face while she slept, and Stark was struck by just how young she was.

"I met her father once," he said out of the blue.

The other occupants of the vehicle shifted their eyes to him.

"He was a shipping tycoon- Chicago. My father took me to the meeting, and I remember meeting his son. There was a girl in the shadows, limping. I thought she was a maid."

Steve clenched his jaw.

"He died, maybe 14 years ago. Accident in the shipping yards," Stark paused. "Although now..."

His eyes locked back towards the sleeping woman with a thoughtful look.

When they arrived at the Tower, the others dispersed quickly. Steve quietly lifted Maria into his arms, Hermes following behind him.

"There's a spare unit on your floor," Tony called to him. "We can get security straightened out tomorrow."

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

Tony just nodded and Steve headed towards the elevator, pushing the button for the residential floors. Jarvis unlocked the door with a click, and Steve nudged the door open. He gently placed her on his bed, smiling when the dog jumped up and curled up beside her. Hermes regarded him with warm, chocolate eyes. Steve patted the dog on the head, and turned back to Maria. He carefully brushed her hair away from her face before pressing a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth. Pulling a blanket around her, he smiled, and headed back towards the living room. Hopefully, she wouldn't kill him in the morning.


	5. Day 5: On A Date

A/N: This one was fun! I hope y'all enjoy it as much as I did writing it. Thanks for all the reviews! They make me happy.

Day 5: On a Date

* * *

She stumbled out of his bedroom with sleepy eyes and mussed hair, and Steve felt his heart clench. There was something about her barefoot in his kitchen that made him firmly aware that the Maria Hill outside of SHIELD was an entirely different creature. She blearily located the tea pot, and he concealed a smile as she furiously stared at it, willing it to boil. Hermes softly padded into the room, sliding down on his front paws in a doggy stretch before lapping water from the bowl on the floor. When he finished, he gave them each a longing look before flopping down on his side.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Steve asked.

She grunted at him and he bit back another smile. She tossed the used teabag in the sink and took a long sip, the mug clenched between both of her hands. After a moment, she sank down in the chair beside him.

"Better?" he asked with a smirk.

Her response was a raised middle finger as she took another sip.

"It's too damn early for conversation, Rogers," she muttered.

"And here I thought you'd be a morning person," he added, genuinely surprised.

"You spend a lot of time thinking about me?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow.

He ducked his head, a faint red flush tipping his ears. She snorted.

"I'm not a morning person unless I have to be. That's why I always take the late shifts," she offered.

"You still haven't answered my first question," he said with a knowing look.

She glared.

"Sore, but bearable," she replied as she put the empty cup in the sink.

He rolled his eyes at her reply. She stretched, and he tried not to stare at the section of skin exposed at her midsection. She winked at him, and disappeared down the hallway. She emerged fresh faced with damp hair pulled on top of her head about twenty minutes later, looking like she should be headed off to class at NYU.

"Is that my sweatshirt?" he asked.

"Yup," she replied with a grin.

The garment hung to mid-thigh and she had pushed the sleeves up so they wouldn't hang off her wrists. She stuffed her wallet and keys into the front pocket, and whistled. Hermes trotted up to her, tongue lolling.

"Do you need anything while I'm out?" she asked. "It may be awhile. I've got to get the townhouse situated."

He folded the newspaper in front of him, and smiled. He pushed down the pang of domesticity her actions sent through him at the possibility of a future with her.

"Not that I can think of," he said.

She nodded and left, Hermes trailing behind her. Rubbing his face with his hand, Steve groaned. Heading towards the bedroom, he tried to ignore the faint whiff of her perfume and the wet towel hanging on the doorknob. He reached for a clean pair of jeans. and a t-shirt.

"How's your girl?" Stark asked when Steve wandered into the common room.

"She left early to get things straightened up at the house."

Stark sighed a heavy sigh.

"You have no game, Rogers."

Steve ignored him and settled into an armchair near the window with his sketchbook. Stark rolled his eyes and left, muttering unintelligibly under his breath. An hour passed before Barton leisurely strolled into the room. Steve eyed him warily. A bored Barton was a dangerous Barton. The man in question balanced on the arm of the sofa with a smirk.

"You and Maria should join us for dinner tonight," he said.

Steve looked up.

"Us?" he questioned.

"Me and Nat. Saturdays are Trivia Night at The Cantina."

Steve frowned, unsure if he should make plans without her.

"Hill loves cheese dip," Barton added.

"Let me check," he replied, and Barton nodded.

He pulled out his phone.

"_Barton wants us to join him and Nat at The Cantina tonight. Something about trivia night?"_

His phone beeped not even a minute later.

"_Hell yeah_."

Steve grinned, and looked up to see Barton's knowing gaze.

"We're in," he said ignoring the archer's smirk.

**shieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshield**

The most important thing Steve Rogers learned about Maria Hill at dinner was to never touch her food if he wanted to keep his hand- _especially_ if cheese dip was involved.

The Cantina was a quaint little place off the beaten-path with outdoor lights strung across the patio, and mariachi music streaming from the speakers. The late summer air was just beginning to chill, but it still was a beautiful night. Natasha and Clint left a few minutes before them to get a table. Apparently Romanov was very specific in her seating location for Trivia Night. Maria directed him to the restaurant, only mentioning it was a place she and Romanov had discovered years ago on accident. He could easily see why she loved it. The anonymity was refreshing, and the beer was cheap.

He had only thought she was joking when she ordered two cheese dips, but was fondly amused when she demolished the first bowl. It was nice to see her so relaxed, Steve mused. They lapsed into conversation while Barton signed them up for Trivia and Natasha went to the bathroom (_aka- check the perimeter_).

"I'm going to regret this when I have to run 5 extra miles tomorrow morning," she said with a smile. "But it's too damn good!"

"Do you run every morning?" he asked.

"If work allows," she replied. "I like seeing the city wake up."

"You run around New York?" he asked, slightly surprised.

"It just reminds me why I do what I do," she commented, taking another sip of her beer. "What?"

He smiled.

"You're different than I expected."

She rolled her eyes.

"I never took you for one to listen to the rumor mill," she replied lightly.

He could sense the danger in her tone, and her eyes watched him, calculating. His eyes widened, and he started to back pedal.

"That's not...I meant...You-"

She stopped him with a chuckle.

"As much as I'm enjoying watching you try and dig your way out of this one, it's fine, Steve."

"But it's not," he said almost angrily.

She raised an eyebrow, meeting his gaze, almost daring him to continue. He inhaled slowly, his eyes locked on hers.

"You're so much more than that, Maria."

"Don't put me on a goddamn pedestal, Rogers," she said with a bitter expression.

He sighed, frustrated, but her expression told him to drop the subject. The conversation stagnated, and he wasn't sure what to say next. Was there a protocol for what to do after arguing with a girl on a date? She crinkled her nose in distaste.

"Look Rogers, I'm not good at this. I don't do personal. My default is bitchy and aggressive, and Fury pays me to argue with him on a regular basis. So if you're looking for sweet and cuddly, that's not going to be me."

He reached out and grabbed her hand. That shut her up quickly, and she stared at him with an unreadable expression.

"Can we just start over and forget that I am a dunderheaded idiot?"

Her lips quirked up in a smile.

"You're a sadist." she stated. "And we have _got_ to work on your vocabulary."

Barton chose that moment to return to the table, eyeing the two of them with interest. Maria gave him a sickeningly sweet smile that clearly had another meaning, and he left it alone. The chip basket was refilled and Natasha came back with a pitcher of Margaritas and two straws. Steve raised an eyebrow himself when she set it in front of Maria and took the seat beside her.

"I know you haven't bothered to take any pain medication," the assassin stated, while Maria just made a face.

It turned out Natasha and Maria were vicious at the game. Steve was content to let the three of them handle it while the other groups eyed them fearfully. Natasha was a surprising wealth of celebrity information while Maria closed down the music category. It was no surprised they trounced the others when it came to geography and politics. Steve was quite pleased with himself when he snagged a few history questions. He briefly wondered if it was cheating since he had witnessed those events first hand.

The game wrapped up and a prize pitcher of beer appeared in front of them which was good since the two women had drained the margaritas. (To be honest, Natasha had consumed a majority of the cocktail.) Maria was definitely feeling the buzz of alcohol, her eyes shinning. Steve noted she hadn't winced all night, but whether that was the alcohol or her impressive pain tolerance was anyone's guess. The bill was paid (Clint grabbed the check), and it was understood Steve and Maria would get it next night out. Clint waved goodbye, and Natasha just raised an eyebrow as the assassins headed out the door.

"God, I needed that," Maria said with a sigh as Steve offered her his hand to help her out of the booth.

She frowned slightly, but accepted the offer reluctantly.

A shrill ring interrupted them, and she released his hand with a groan. Digging through her bag, she located her phone with a scowl.

"Hill."

Steve watched as she shifted to business mode, and he took that opportunity to study her. She was gorgeous in command. Her scowl deepened, and her eyes flashed as she barked at the person on the other end of the phone. She hung up with a sigh, and a sympathetic smile.

"I have to go in," she said as she stood. "Fraiser's fucked up one of the operations in Singapore, and he has the diplomacy of a turd."

He laughed loudly at her description, and her expression lightened. He escorted her to the car he had borrowed from Stark. She paused at the door to the passenger side, and caught his wrist.

"I won't apologize for my job," she said seriously.

"I don't expect you to," he replied, completely sincere.

This time, she closed the gap between them.


	6. Day 6: Ice Cream

A/N: Sorry guys- I dropped a super sharp Chef's knife and my subconscious thought it would be a good idea to try and catch it. Cut my hand to the bone in a few places, and it looked like I got in a fight with Wolverine. It's also hard to type with one hand... hence the delay. This one's a little shorter, but I should be back to regular updates again!

* * *

Day 6: Ice Cream

She was gone for a week. She left him at the tower with a lingering kiss that tasted faintly of margaritas and salt before disappearing in the night. An hour later, she sent him a text with a request to look after Hermes followed by a few expletives and colorful terminology that informed him she was on the Helicarrier- if he interpreted 'shitty Millennium Falcon' correctly. He responded with an affirmative. He smiled at the afterthought.

_'So does this make Fury, Chewbacca, since we all know you really run SHIELD?'_

_'It's not wise to upset a Wookie.'_

He got that reference.

When he realized Fury had stayed behind, he made an appointment to see the Director the next day. The man in question was waiting for him with an expectant look on his face when Steve slipped into the office.

"Captain," he stated. "What can I do for you?"

"I want you to give Deputy Director Hill a few days off."

Fury raised an eyebrow.

"Do I look like her fucking babysitter?"

"You and I both know she won't voluntarily take leave unless it comes from you," Steve stated.

Fury smiled, and Steve added that to the list of terrifying things he's seen in his life.

"I'm not going to give you 'the speech'," he said calmly. "Hill can fight her own damn battles."

"Yes sir. She could kill me in my sleep."

"Wise man."

Fury studied him closely, and Steve forced himself to remain relaxed under his scrutiny. The director's lips twitched slightly, and Steve swallowed hard.

"Alright, Rogers. You have a week after this mission finishes baring any alien invasions."

"Thank you, sir."

Steve headed to the door before the director could change his mind. He heard him clear his throat, and he turned to see Fury staring at him with a strange expression.

"Try and get her to take you to Chicago," he said.

Steve just nodded, and carefully backed out of the office.

His door rattled noisily a few hours later, and he opened it to see her standing in front of him with a murderous expression.

"What did you say to Fury?" she demanded, her eyes flashing in anger.

He took a step back, considering her warily.

"I wanted to take you away for a break," he replied honestly.

She instantly deflated, her mouth opening before she snapped it shut. She closed her eyes tightly and leaned against the doorframe that seemed to support her entire physical being. His eyes wandered over her pale face and drawn features, and he could visibly see how exhausted she was. She opened her eyes and met his gaze, her own expression pained.

"Shit, I'm sorry. God, I'm a bitch."

He reached out and pulled her towards him, surprised when he was met with no resistance. She folded gently against him, and his hands crept up to pull her closer. Walking backward, he tugged her along and the door to his apartment shut with a click. She drew in a ragged breath and remained in his embrace as he guided them to the couch. She curled up against him, and he reached over to tug the rubber band holding her hair in place. Her long hair tumbled to her shoulders as she continued to stare through him with a slightly vacant expression.

He frowned.

"Maria?" he asked gently.

She blinked, emotion clearing from her face and she stared at him with a guilty expression.

"Fuck it, I'm sorry. I should just go. I didn't-"

She made a move to stand, and he pushed her shoulders back gently. She cocked her head to the side, and he gave her a lopsided grin.

"Stay. I know just what you need."

He quickly strode into the kitchen, and paused. When he didn't hear his door open, he knew he had piqued her curiosity.

Maria glanced back at the kitchen with a small frown. She could hear various thumps as the echo of banging kitchen cabinets traveled to the living room. Steve reappeared carrying two bowls, and grinned as he thrust one into her hands. She couldn't stop the small laugh from bubbling up at the messy ice cream sundae starring back at her. Apparently the super soldier kept a stock of gourmet ice cream toppings on hand at all times.

She took a small bite, the mint and chocolate flavors dancing on her tongue. Perfection. His bowl was already gone by the time she looked up. She flashed him a half smile when he ducked his head. Soon, her own spoon was scrapping the bottom of the bowl, and she put it on the coffee table with a sigh. Looking around, she frowned.  
"Have you seen my dog?"

"Pepper's been taking him with her to her office every day. She said he's a big stress reliever when dealing with Tony."

Maria shook her head with a small smile, and curled back into him. He wrapped his arms around her, and she shifted so her head was on his chest. He lifted one hand and absentmindedly ran it through her hair which prompted a content sigh from her lips. Her hair smelled like coconut, he mused, as her breathing evened out. He felt her body relax as she eased into sleep, and he knew she was at her limit. He continued to stroke her hair, and smiled when she subconsciously burrowed closer to him.

A soft knock sounded at the door, and Steve looked up.

"Jarvis?" he questioned.

"Agent Romanoff is at your door, sir," the AI replied.

"Can you let her in?"

"Of course, sir."

Natasha entered with her head tilted ever so slightly. It was a motion that was instantly rectified when she saw the sleeping brunette in his arms. She smiled.

"I was going to drag you out of the Tower, but I guess I'll change my mind," she said softly.

"Thanks for thinking of my well-being," he answered dryly.

Her lips quirked upward.

"You're good for her, you know," the redhead started. "I've never seen her like this with anyone."

"I'm afraid I'll mess it up," he confessed and Natasha studied him seriously.

"You're doing fine so far," she replied and headed towards the door. "I'll keep the others from bothering you tonight."

He nodded his thanks as the assassin started to shit the door. She paused, and then looked back.

"She likes warm weather," Natasha said almost as an afterthought.

The door clicked shut, leaving Steve to his thoughts and empty ice cream bowls.


	7. Day 7: Different Style of Clothes

A/N: **WARNING- the last 3 or 4 sentences get a little heated. It may push into M territory but there's nothing explicit. Skip if you're uncomfortable with that- when they head back to the apartment. **

A/N2: This one's for Hazmatt who's been a loyal reviewer. Thanks for all your words of encouragement!

A/N3: This chapter had a life of it's own and didn't go where I thought it would. It was fun to write though! Hahaha. Hand is better. Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes! Moral of that story: Don't try to catch a falling knife.

* * *

**Day 7: In a Different Clothing Style**

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Maria asked him.

Steve watched her scoot eggs around her plate in a careful facsimile of actually eating something. Her brow was furrowed, and she had tugged her bottom lip in between her teeth in a move that shot straight to his groin. He took a slow sip of water and pushed back the sudden urge to take her right there on the kitchen table. She gave him a knowing look, and the slight glare at the end told him he better take her question seriously.

"I'm not going to force you to return to Chicago," he started. "I'm more than happy to whisk you away to the beach or wherever it is people go on vacations these days."

She sighed heavily, the turmoil weighing on her face.

"There's a reason I don't associate with that part of my life any more. I don't like the act I have to play in that world."

"Maria, I'm not going to judge you for what you had to do to survive. I just want you to know that I'm here for you if you want to share that burden."

"There will be reporters," she muttered. "Especially now that Marc is a senator."

"Does he know?" Steve asked.

"He knows I work for the government and that it's classified. Depending on his next congressional appointment, he could get enough clearance for me to elaborate a little more."

She made a face, and scrapped all the eggs into a pile.

"He's a good man. He helped maintain my cover so I could disappear after our father died. And insisted I was kept in the will, not that I cared."

"What was your cover?" Steve responded curiously.

"Apparently, Montgomery Townsend III's daughter is an animal and human rights activist who travels to other countries to give humanitarian aid," she said with an eye roll. "Fury ensures I can go on missions I can tie into that, and allow myself to be seen on occasion. It keeps the press at bay, and doesn't cause any problems for Marc's political aspirations."

Steve nodded slowly, assimilating the new information. She watched him through a half-lidded gaze.

"So-," he started with a serious expression as she stiffened, the fork scrapping more vigorously against the plate.

"If I see a kitten in a tree, I should let you save it?"

She punched him hard in the bicep.

"Asshole."

He just laughed.

The rest of the day flew by. Maria slipped out after breakfast claiming she needed to check in with the realtor, and pick up a few last minute items for their trip. Steve had been surprised to learn that Hermes would be joining them, but later realized it made sense that Maria Townsend would be the type to travel with her dog when she was in the states. The dog in question stared up at him with soulful brown eyes before flopping in the middle of the hallway with a huff. Deciding to spend some time with the other Avengers before he left, he whistled and headed towards the elevator with Hermes on his heels.

"Take the jet," Stark stated when he walked into the room.

"Uh?"

"To Chicago. I told Fury if any reporter got too nosy about the mysterious man traveling with our wayward heiress, and discovers it's Captain America, then it wouldn't be too farfetched for you two to have met at one of my parties."

Steve was silent. Stark actually had a good point.

"That's a good plan."

"Of course it is," Stark replied.

"Is the pizza here yet?" Barton called as he swaggered into the room and flopped into an armchair.

"ETA's five minutes."

"Incoming hostiles?" Natasha asked as she quietly appeared in the doorway.

"Not unless you count doughy goodness with delicious melty-melty cheese to be hostile," Stark answered.

"It's hostile to my intestines," Banner added as he joined the crowd. "I think I'm lactose-intolerant."

"I took the liberty of adding a dairy-free pizza to the regular order, sir," Jarvis announced. "Your intestinal distress has been noted."

"I don't know whether to be impressed or disturbed," Bruce replied with a funny look.

"Do you take note of all intestinal comings and goings, Jarvis?" Steve warily asked.

"Only when an abnormal pattern is detected."

"We better pray that's never leaked to the media," Romanoff muttered.

"Disturbing Secrets of Avenger Bowel Movements," Barton said with a laugh.

"What the hell are you talking about, Barton?" a sharp voice cut in.

The room went silent as Maria Hill entered with a stack of pizza boxes. She dumped them on the counter.

"Met the pizza guy at the door, and thought I'd save him the trouble. What?" she questioned when she realized they all continued to stare.

"You look hot," Barton tossed out as he grabbed a box and disappeared with Natasha before she could take any retribution other than a raised middle finger.

Her hair was down and highlighted, loose waves falling to her shoulders. An oversized pair of Chanel sunglasses sat on top of her head. The navy blue Valentino dress was chic without being overly dressy and only drew attention to the sky high Jimmy Choos strapped to her feet. Her nails were done in a classy French Manicure and all in all, she looked every inch the heiress her ancestry deigned. She pulled off the look effortlessly, and still radiated a dangerous aura.

"You're not going to get Capsicle back to New York if you're wearing stuff like that every day in Chicago, Hill," Tony drawled.

"Fuck off, Stark."

"Good to know our foul-mouthed Deputy Director is still in there," he added with a grin.

"I might be a little underdressed," Steve added, tearing his eyes away from the woman in front of him.

She smirked.

"Pepper took care of it. There should be some bags waiting in your apartment."

The shock over her appearance dissipated as everyone dug into the pizza. Bruce smiled softly at her and told her she looked very nice, before heading back down to his lab with a box under his arm. She reached for a second piece, and turned her attention back to Steve.

"Pepper told me we're taking one of Stark's jets?"

"It gives us a good cover for how we met if my identity is leaked."

Maria looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding politely at Stark who was rummaging in the fridge for a drink.

"Thanks, Tony," she said.

Her words carried more weight than a simple thank you for the use of the plane, and he nodded his understanding.

"You kids better head out soon if you want to get to Chicago by 8pm," he said with a gleam in his eye.

Maria rolled her eyes, and Steve escorted her out of the room with a hand on her lower back. Hermes pulled himself up from the spot on the floor where he had been surreptitiously stealing pizza crusts and followed them. Once they were back in Steve's apartment, she turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"I take it you like the dress?"

His eyes darkened and he swallowed slowly.

"Actually, it's the shoes."

A husky laugh escaped her, and he took a step towards her. The height of her heels put her almost at eye level with him, and he fought to keep his eyes from raking over her body. She shivered under his scrutiny.

"I don't think anyone will care if we're a little late," she said as he stepped into her space, fumbling with the zipper on the back of her dress.

"You're beautiful in anything you wear," he whispered in between kisses that were growing more heated and desperate.

"I'm quite fond of that catsuit," he added, as the dress fell to the floor in a puddle of silk.

"Duly noted," she responded, her own hands running up his bare chest. "I don't think the shoes would go with it, though."

He growled.


	8. Day 8: Watching TV

Day 8:Watching TV

As the electric guitar intro blared through the speakers, Maria Hill rolled her eyes and cursed Stark under her breath. Stevie Nicks started to croon, and Tony's smug voice soon greeted them on the radio.

"Rhiannon, you're cleared for take off."

"I don't know how the hell you found out my call sign, Stark, but this will not happen again," she growled.

The billionaire just chuckled as they taxied to the runway. Maria rolled her eyes, and stretched, rolling her shoulders back. Steve watched as she sighed softly, her eyes lighting up as she went through the pre-flight checklist. She seemed truly happy to be sitting in the cockpit of the small Stark Industries jet. They began to pick up speed, and she grinned as the front wheels lifted off the ground.

"You miss it," he simply stated.

Her eyes swept towards him in a side glance.

"I don't get to pilot as often as I'd like anymore," she said with a small shrug.

He didn't push the issue- just waited to see if she'd continue.

"Flying was one of the few things I got away with defying my father. Marc was supposed to be the one taking lessons, but he was terrified of heights. I just signed the log books ' ' and he was none the wiser. It wasn't until I got my license that he found out, and it was well worth the punishment I knew would come."

He reached over and ran his hand along her thigh. Dropping a hand, she captured his with hers and gave it a light squeeze. The look of peace that filled her face at takeoff was slowly giving way to tension and he regretted bringing it up.

"Rhiannon?" he asked with a playful smirk.

She laughed.

"God. That would be all Dani," she said with a smile.

"The blonde Lieutenant Colonel we met at the club a few months back?"

"The one and only. Rhiannon was a Welsh goddess whose song was said to take away pain and make the listener fall asleep until danger pass. She always said I was the one that sent danger running."

"What was her call sign?" Steve asked, genuinely interested.

"Starling," she answered with a half-smile.

The flight took a little over two hours and Steve was content to spend the time watching the flickering lights pass below. When they began the initial descent, Hermes began to thump his tail against the side of the aircraft as if he knew they were almost there. Maria called in the landing and was quickly given the affirmative from the private airfield. She put the aircraft down flawlessly and directed it to the hangar where it would be out of the weather. Steve politely offered her a hand, which she accepted, and stepped out of the plane.

Hermes trotted down the stairs, head up high as his nose sniffed the air. Maria whistled once, and he returned to her side while they strode towards the waiting limo. She pulled the oversized sunglasses over her face and freely survived the area around them. Hermes jumped into the vehicle first, making himself comfortable and they slid in behind him. They rode in silence. Steve carefully observed the little tics she let show- her left thumb and forefinger gently rubbing together, and the way she tugged at her lower lip as if lost in thought. He noted that Maria Lawrence was easier to read than SHIELD Maria, but whether that was a conscious decision or not was anyone's guess.

They security guard waved them through the wrought iron gates, and Steve was surprised to see the size of the house at the end of the circular drive. The car glided to a stop, and Hermes was quick to jump out and stick his nose in the grass. Two children burst out of the door and ran straight to the dog.

"You see where I rank on the list," Maria said.

Steve chuckled and surveyed the property as a man in a suit quickly walked towards them. He enveloped Maria in a hug that she surprisingly accepted and returned. He pulled back, his hands still holding onto her elbows as he took a moment to study her. The man's eyes quickly darted towards Steve, widening slightly in recognition.

"Marcus," she stated with a half-smile.

"You look phenomenal, Mare," he responded with a grin. "You know, when you said you were bringing a guest, I didn't expect Captain America."

"It's just Steve, Marc," she replied and the man looked chagrinned.

"Of course."

Marc turned to Steve with an outstretched hand and a genuine smile.

"Marc Lawrence. It's a pleasure to meet you although I know nothing about you other than what I've seen in the news."

"Steve Rogers, and likewise."

That got a laugh out of Marc, and Steve felt himself relaxing.

"I know most of your life is shrouded in secrecy, Maria, but let's just say I have a better idea of what you do now," Marc said seriously. "Please tell me you're at least being careful."

"I'm as careful as I can while still doing what needs to be done," she said shortly.

Marc grimaced slightly, and she sighed.

"I wish I could tell you more," she said honestly.

"Well, at least I know the Captain has your back," he replied with a hard look.

"You and I both know Maria's going to do whatever she likes, but I promise I'll do my best to keep her safe."

Maria rolled her eyes as Marc nodded sharply.

"Okay Cavemen, you two can hug it out later," she stated.

She flashed Steve an unreadable look. Marc leaned closer to his sister and whispered something in her ear. She narrowed her gaze, her face settling slightly into her trademark glare. It was quickly masked by a look of feigned indifference as a few other people stepped out of the house. Maria stepped closer to Steve, and he fought to keep from grabbing her hand. He was shocked when her hand grabbed his, and he let his thumb run gently over her skin. She looked up to him with a slight gleam in her eye.

"Looks like a few of the staff, and Marc's campaign crew want to see who just arrived. My sister-in-law Lila is at a conference this week," she muttered softly, for his benefit.

"Miss Lawrence, it's good to see you," a woman stiffly said as she looked curiously in Steve's direction. "You've been busy?"

"Nepal was wonderful- we were able to get several schools built, and I still was able to swing by Tony Stark's Fall Gala," Maria tossed back.

The group proceeded back to the house, and Maria dragged Steve straight to the kitchen. She rustled through the cabinets and emerged triumphantly with two coffee mugs and a tin of hot chocolate.

"Marc always kept the best cocoa," she said with a small smile.

"You doing okay?" he asked softly.

She leaned into him, and exhaled slowly.

"It doesn't feel like my life," she said after a moment. "It feels-"

"Like you're a stranger in your own skin?" Steve supplied.

She nodded, her eyes glassy and she quickly looked away. He reached out and grasped her hand, pulling her closer to him. She feebly protested before giving in to the motion. Reaching up, he ran his fingers through her loose hair, before gently cupping her face.

"I like SHIELD Maria better," he whispered before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "But I love you no matter who you are or have to be."

Her eyes widened, and he could feel her body stiffen underneath his hands. Her body thrummed with energy and he could tell she wanted to pull away. He relaxed his grip, letting her choose to go or stay.

"Steve," she said hoarsely.

Taking comfort in the fact she was still in his arms, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. She whimpered softly, and he moved his hand to cup the back of her head while his other hand remained splayed across her back. He broke the kiss.

"I love you," he said again. "And I will keep saying it until you believe you are more than worthy of love.

"Goddamn it, Rogers," she whispered.

"I love _you_," he said again.

She jumped slightly when the timer went off, and he let her pull away and compose herself. When she turned to face him, her walls were back up, but he could still see the glimmer of emotion shinning in her eyes. She slid a mug towards him, a single eyebrow raised. He just grinned back at her, and she shook her head with a slightly exasperated expression. Her phone beeped, and she stared down at the screen with a small frown. Sliding the device back in her pocket, she grabbed her mug with one hand, and grabbed his hand with the other and led them towards the guest suite.

"Fury gets antsy when he has to watch and critique by himself," she stated and flipped on the tv.

The most recent group of chefs were listening closely for instructions, before quickly dashing to the pantry. Maria took another sip of her hot chocolate and leaned into Steve who was watching the show with interest. She snorted. Maybe someone should have introduced Captain America to Food Network earlier. Her phone beeped again and she briefly wondered at the state of her life on vacation with her- hell she didn't know what to call Steve- and texting her boss predictions and criticisms on cooking.

Picking up her phone, she typed out a quick text back.

'_The chicken liver is a mistake. My vote is for the razor clams._'


	9. Day 9: Wearing Animal Ears

Day 9: Wearing Animal Ears

* * *

Chicago was going well- if you counted awkward moments and tense expressions 'well'. Steve watched as Maria spent time with her nieces, and noted she genuinely seemed to enjoy being around the two girls. Marc gave her space, but when they did interact, neither sibling seemed to know what to do, and Steve assumed it was due to their troubled past. Maria had slipped out for an early morning run, declining his invitation to join her. He was unable to fall back asleep, and so he found himself in the kitchen with a bowl of pancake batter, and two little girls plus a dog soon beside him.

Margaret and Meredith thanked him politely for the pancakes before scampering off to their rooms when Maria strode through the kitchen door. Her hair was pulled back in a sweaty ponytail, and her cheeks were flushed. She pulled the earbuds from her ears, and quickly pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator before sipping it slowly. She bent down and scratched Hermes behind the ears. The dog leaned into her, mouth open in his trademark smile. She crooned a few words to her dog before sliding into a chair. He slid a plate in front of her. She rolled her eyes, but conceded and picked up a fork.

"Good run?" he questioned softly.

"I ran the perimeter," she answered between mouthfuls. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

He shook his head with a soft smile. You could take her out of SHIELD, but you couldn't take SHIELD out of her.

"Do you have any plans for the day?"

She shook her head, and continued to chew.

"I thought we could go into the city-"

He paused at her startled expression. She cleared her throat, and stared back at him with a hesitant expression.

"There's a good chance you'll be recognized," she muttered and he instantly understood.

"Maria, I'm not afraid of being seen with you."

A vague expression of self-hatred crossed her face so quickly he wondered if he had imagined it. She put her fork down, and he interrupted once more.

"The Director wouldn't have suggested the trip if he was worried about me being seen with you."

She sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"Let me get cleaned up," she responded while sliding her chair back.

When she started to walk passed him, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. He tugged her towards him, and she caught herself with a hand on his chest. He lifted his free hand to cup her face gently.

"I love you," he stated firmly locking his eyes onto hers.

She maintained contact for a minute, before dropping her gaze with a small sigh.

"I love you too," she said softly. "God knows I shouldn't, but I do."

She pulled away from his grasp and quickly disappeared from the room with Hermes padding along softly beside her. He sighed.

"She really loves you," a voice said.

Steve looked up to see Marc quietly enter the kitchen. Clearly the Lawrence siblings had perfected the art of slipping into rooms unnoticed.

"She hates it here. The majority of the time she'll drop in when we're on vacation. This is the second time she's stepped foot in Chicago since... she left."

Steve looked up, surprised.

"I didn't realize that."

"I hate myself for those days. I should have done more. Instead, I was a coward and pretended it wasn't happening."

"You were a child too," Steve replied. "No child should be in that position."

Marc swallowed.

"I never know what to do for her, but seeing her with you-" he trailed off. "She seems happy."

"I think she is," Steve said. "I hope she is."

"You're welcome to stay as long as you want," Marc said after clearing his throat. "I know you were originally going to stay the whole week, but I have a vacation home down in Florida if you guys want to change plans.

**shieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshield**

Maria closed the door to the room, and blinked hard. This wasn't supposed to be happening. She wasn't supposed to be in love with Captain America. She couldn't be. Stepping into the shower, she let the hot water pound on her back. She tightly squeezed her eyes shut, fighting off the headache that was starting to emerge.

"Shit Hill," she said to herself. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Turning off the water, she grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it securely around herself before heading towards their suitcases. Digging through the bags, she tugged out a pair of designer jeans and a burgundy cable knit sweater. She quickly blow-dried her hair, applied the level of makeup she used when using the heiress persona, and tugged the sweater over her head. Hermes thumped his tail four times on the bathroom floor and stared up at her with soulful brown eyes. She gave his belly a rub then went to go find Steve.

Ten minutes later, she frowned as she ducked into the living room. The man in question was nowhere to be found. She heard the sound of faint giggles in the distance, and cocked her head. She pursed her lips thoughtfully, then headed upstairs towards her nieces' bedrooms. She paused outside the half-open door and fought to contain a smile.

"Mrs. Jeffries, I'd love another cup of tea," she heard Steve ask in a high pitched voice.

Shifting so she could see in the room, she felt her grin widen. Steve was sitting on the floor surrounded by stuffed animals. A pair of rabbit ears sat atop his head as he hunched over the small tea set. Margaret and Meredith both wore frilly aprons and cat ears.

She knocked softly.

"Am I interrupting?" she asked.

Steve blushed, and she felt her expression soften.

"Aunt Maria!" Margaret exclaimed. "We're having an animal tea party. You have to join us!"

Meredith held out a pair of panda bear ears, and waited for her to take them.

"Well, how can I resist an offer like that," she answered and carefully tucked herself on the floor beside Steve.

"That's a good look for you, soldier," she whispered.

"I couldn't say no," he replied.

She smiled, and a sharp pang tore through her.

This man was going to be the death of her.

After the tea party finished, he pulled her to the side.

"You should have told me how difficult it was for you to be here," he said.

He could see her bristle at the remark.

"I'm not patronizing you, Maria. I honestly want to know if something's bothering you."

The look he gave her was purely puppy, and she felt her stomach flop. Damn this man.

"Do you trust me?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes," she replied, and he was surprised by the immediacy of her response.

He grinned, and she felt his gaze heating the longer he watched her.

She found herself, Hermes, and their bags back in the limo fifteen minutes later. She concealed her confusion at the quick goodbyes, and tried to relax as they headed back towards the airport. An hour later, they were back in the sky, only she had no idea where Steve was taking them. She urged her muscles to relax, and he shot her a worried glance.

"How much do you know of what I do for SHIELD?" she asked.

He frowned at the question.

"Honestly, not much. I know you're second in the hierarchy and that you're involved with the logistics of missions as well as negotiations, but that's embarrassingly it."

"I'm an expert in high-risk threat assessments," she started, her gaze fixed firmly out the window. "I analyze data- intel that's been collected. I can calculate the percentage of likelihood that a given outcome will occur for multiple situations, and then I formulate responses to every one."

"You plan the extraction protocols," he said.

She nodded.

"Among other things. I can see multiple ways a situation could play out which allows me to manipulate it into a more favorable outcome for SHIELD."

He gave her a side glance.

"Last week, Rumlow and his team were in the field. There was a 15% chance of being discovered if the target returned early from the symphony. I ensured his seats were upgraded to a closer row increasing the chance he'd be caught in traffic both pedestrian in the symphony hall, and on the road by 8% giving the team an extra 20 minute."

He stared at her in shock.

"How do you remember all of that?"

"I had an eidetic memory as a child, and I've always been good with details which unfortunately makes me a very valuable target. Only Fury, Coulson, and now you are aware of that fact."

She exhaled loudly, and studied him.

"I told you all of that because I wanted you to understand why I close myself off from people and situations. I have to if I'm going to send agents into situations I know they have a poor chance of 's not effective to become attached."

He didn't say anything, just stretched his arm out and grabbed her hand.

"I'm proud of you," he said after a moment.

She turned her head away.

"There are things I can't tell you," she continued. "I do what needs to be done, but I'm no damned hero."

She stood up, and walked towards the back of the jet. He turned his head to follow her, his thoughts concerned. Turning back to the controls, he called in their initial descent and began to prepare for landing. Maria watched him from a distance, admiring the curve of his jaw and the steadiness of his hands. She felt a nudge at her side as Hermes curled up beside her. Stark was going to have a fit when he found dog hair on the seats. She continued to scratch his ears and fight the growing feeling that everything was spiraling out of her control. Steve turned and flashed her a quick smile as he got ready to set the plane down. She swallowed hard.

There was a 73% chance that he was going to destroy her by the time this was over and done. She only wondered why she was putting herself through it.

**shieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshield**

Ever since they left Chicago, Maria had grown more and more quiet. He covertly watched her as she seemed lost in thought. He hoped this side trip would be enough to break her out of the funk she had fallen in when confronted with memories of her past. As they taxied towards the hangar, she came up beside him with a confused glint in her eye.

"Any particular reason we're in Florida?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"You still need a vacation," he said with a grin.

The corners of her mouth twitched as she shook her head. He continued to prod.

"Besides, Fury's banned us for another three days. Wouldn't you rather spend it at the beach?"

She swatted his shoulder, her mood lighter.

"I didn't exactly pack for warm weather," she replied.

"Natasha packed you a bag. It's stashed behind the last row of reclining chairs," he answered cheekily.

She rolled her eyes, and prayed to God that Romanoff hadn't packed her anything ridiculous.

They pulled up in front of a small gaited community, then followed the road another three miles to a secluded house on the beach. Maria cocked her head to the side.

"How the hell did you find this place?" She asked.

"Your brother," he answered bashfully.

She laughed, and they carried their bags to the door. It was a beautiful property with four bedrooms, a chef's kitchen, and a boardwalk leading straight to the ocean. She let out a soft sigh as she stared out the large picture windows looking out over the water. Steve came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle. She leaned back against him, and smiled.

"Why don't you go change?" he asked.

"Who knows what the hell Romanoff put in that suitcase," she said as she pulled away and realized he was already in his swim trunks.

She took a moment to admire his bare chest, and he grinned.

"Like what you see, Commander?"

"Fuck yeah, soldier," she said huskily.

His eyes darkened, and she swatted his hand away.

"Nope. You brought me to the beach, and I'm going to the beach!"

He chuckled.

"I'll meet you down there," she called out as she headed towards the bedroom.

She dumped out the contents of the duffle, and was relieved to see a simple black bikini thrown in the mix. She quickly changed clothes, tying her hair back in a high ponytail. Noticing a small tote in the corner of the room, she grabbed a towel, sunscreen, and her sunglasses before whistling for Hermes. Opening the back door, Hermes bounded ahead with his nose high in the air. She closed her eyes at the hint of salt air, the sea breeze rippling around her.

"That's considered a bathing suit?" Steve asked when she got to the shoreline.

She gave him a wicked grin as she spread her towel on the sand. He continued to watch her, his eyes wide and the tips of his ears slightly pink. She stretched out, ignoring his roving gaze. Her scars never bothered her, but if he didn't stop studying her so intently, she was going to jump him right here on the beach. She lifted her sunglasses with one hand, and shot him a warning glance. He smirked, and sat beside her watching Hermes trot through the surf.

They enjoyed the sound of the tide and seagulls overhead, and he was begging to wonder if she had fallen asleep. Maria rolled over and rested her head on her arms. Steve watched her with a smile, and gently reached over towards her. He quietly began to massage her back, working out the knots in her shoulders. She hummed in contentment, his hands dancing over her skin. He hit a sore spot and she groaned as he pressed his thumb harder to relieve the tension. She raised her head and stared at him with a half-lidded gaze. He swallowed hard unused to her raw displays of emotion. Sitting up slowly, she pressed her lips to his, hard. She gently traced his lips with her tongue, and he nipped at her bottom lip causing her to deepen the kiss with a gasp. She could feel him smile against her mouth, his hand brushing against the exposed skin on her side.

She broke the kiss, and pulled him to his feet. A mischievous expression crossed his face, and she started to back away with her hands raised.

"Don't you even think about it," she warned as he came closer.

"I will fucking kill you," she raised her voice as he scooped her up.

She struggled uselessly, as he carried her towards the water. He felt a sharpness near his shoulder, and pulled back to look at her.

"Did you just bite me?"

She looked back innocently, and without warning he dropped her into the cold water. She screeched at the temperature, and came up spluttering. He laughed at her expression, but was unprepared for her to launch herself at him. Losing his footing on the shifting sand, he fell back into the water with Maria in his arms. They broke the surface and she shivered slightly. She headed back towards the shore, and he took a moment to admire her from behind.

"Stop staring at my ass," she called out without turning around.

He just grinned.

She raised her middle finger.


	10. Day 10: Arguing

Day 10: Arguing

* * *

She took control of the aircraft when they returned to the hangar. Steve shook his head with a soft smile, and ran a hand through his tousled hair before collapsing into a plush armchair. She forced the smile to remain on her face until he could no longer see her. She quickly flew through the preflight checklist, and was given the clear for takeoff, her mind exhausted and unsure. She inhaled deeply as the jet smoothly lifted off, and tried to relax. She knew Steve would start to question her the minute he noticed her unease.

_She was too fucking close._

The previous night, she had jolted awake with a racing heart and clammy skin. His hold on her abdomen tightened, and she had to quietly disentangle her limbs from his. She had stared at him then. The moonlight trickling through the window and dancing across his face as he slept peacefully. He was America's fucking Golden Boy and she was smart enough to know that she could lose every damned thing she had worked for if the wrong people were aware of her attachment. She found herself wanting to run her hand across his face, and through his hair, and that realization that maybe she didn't care what happened to her stunned her.

She had always assumed that he would be the one to bring her ambition crashing down around her, but a swift thought wormed her way into her mind. It would be entirely too easy for someone to destroy him through her.

_Fuck_.

She forced her breathing to slow, and wrapped a blanket around her body before stepping out onto the balcony. The waves crashed in the distance, and the steady sound of the tide helped her recenter. She had learned a long time ago not to expect anything from anyone and Steve had waltzed in and somehow managed to push through her barriers. At first she had placated herself by resolutely believing it was just sex- a friends-with-benefits sort of thing between two lonely people. But somewhere along the way she'd lost her heart and her goddamned mind.

She had never cared what other people thought of her. She had grown up with thick skin and the drive to push herself for her own sake, but she would be damned if she became the downfall of Captain America. It was no secret that she did not support the Avengers Initiative or Fury's reliance on superheroes, but the world could always use another damned good man, especially one who had the gift of uniting others to his cause.

A hand on her shoulder jerked her out of her train of thought, and she forced her expression to remain impassive as she returned to the present. He was staring at her with a concerned expression, his brow furrowed.

"Are you okay?" he asked her softly, slipping into the copilot's seat.

"Just dreading the paperwork I know I'll return to," she answered flippantly.

The look he gave her told her he wasn't fooled, but he didn't press. She ignored him, and could almost feel his frustration. They finished the flight in silence, and Maria continued to ignore the wounded looks he sent her, knowing she was distancing herself from him. His hand clenched into a fist.

**shieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshield**

"Hill. I want to see you in my office immediately," Fury barked in her earpiece.

She grimaced and shoved her paperwork to the side before acknowledging the director's request. She was never taking a week off again. She'd been greeted with a stack of mission reports needing further review. In addition, it seemed like the agents coordinating the new agent training couldn't find a stick up their ass if they tried. The plans that Agent Roberts had been submitted were entirely useless, including today's "prance about New York" charade that was supposed to be a stealth exercise. What was this- fucking kindergarten? Scowling, she grabbed her tablet and headed towards Fury's office while agents scampered out of her way.

"You rang?" she drolly questioned.

Fury's lips twitched in a barely imperceptible smirk.

"How the hell did I manage without your wit and charm this past week," he retorted.

He was silent, and she stared straight ahead and ignored his appraising stare.

"The time off did you well," he said after a moment. "You don't look like you're going to fall over."

She rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. He sighed heavily, and motioned for her to sit. She exhaled slowly in relief. Back to business. The debrief had lasted just over an hour when she finally stood up. He'd be heading back to Washington in the next few weeks, and was sending her back to the Helicarrier to oversee their current missions while he promoted Operation Insight. Almost as an afterthought, he inclined his head towards her.

"Did you see Roberts' summary of the AIT course?" he asked.

"Should I plan a scavenger hunt to accompany the day in town?" she responded dryly.

"I thought you'd feel that way," he said with a smirk.

"Roberts is an asinine waste of space. He'd fit in better as the director of a summer camp."

"Get out of my office, Hill. Go terrorize the new recruits."

"Yes sir. Someone needs to."

"I'd damn sure prefer if you didn't make half of them quit this time."

"Do you really want agents who can't handle me?" she asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Hill- no one can handle you. Now fuck off."

The echo of her boots clipped down the hallway as she headed back to her office. Stopping by the break room, she grabbed a bottle of water and a banana and ignored the curious stares of those brave enough to wonder why she had a tan. Shit. It was moments like this when she really missed Coulson. Draining half the bottle, she strode towards her desk without care to the figure seated in the corner of the room. The door clicked shut behind her.

"How was Chicago?"

"Romanoff, you and I both know you don't do small talk, so ask whatever the hell it is you're here to ask so I can plan some suitable tests for the Agents in Training."

The assassin looked vaguely interested in that topic. Maria just narrowed her gaze.

"You're no fun, Hill."

"I aim to please," she deadpanned.

"You sure are in a mood today. Did you not get laid enough this week?"

"Romanoff," Maria growled.

"Fine, fine."

Natasha waved her hand indicated the topic was tabled, for know.

_"Deputy Director, your presence is urgently requested in the Control Room."_

"On my way," she replied with a hand at her ear.

With one last warning glare towards the redhead, she quickly headed down the hall only to be greeted with a flurry of agents radiating tension in the control room. A male agent was seated in the middle of the room clutching a bottle of water. Maria placed him as one of the agents involved in recruiting, Agent Jones. Fury entered from the other side and caught her eye as she made her way towards him.

"What do we have?" Fury barked, and the room fell silent.

"We have what looks to be a hostage situation," one agent replied as the others stared at Jones.

The Director furrowed his brow.

"Jones-elaborate." she coldly prodded.

"Roberts and I split the new recruits into two teams for a stealth and recon training exercise around the city. We were to meet back at the old warehouse on the city outskirts. We were ambushed by five armed men who had pulled in a young mother and her three children as shields."

"Do we have video?" Fury interrupted as one of the nearby techs scrambled around his computer.

"Almost, sir."

"Have they made any demands?" she questioned.

Agent Jones wouldn't meet her gaze.

"They'll only negotiate with Deputy Director Hill," Jones said softly. "In person."

"Like hell," Fury cursed.

"Sir-" she started before Fury cut her off with a glare.

"They said they'll start shooting hostages every ten minutes starting in an hour unless they hear the Commander is on her way. They have two bombs- one some where in New York, and the other at the warehouse. They'll blow them both if the Avengers are involved," Jones swallowed hard. "Director, they shot Roberts. He was still alive when they sent me out, but-"

The video feed cut in at that moment, and she narrowed her eyes at the figures on screen.

"Ethan Porter," she spoke suddenly. "Homegrown terrorist with ties to the Russian mob. He was dishonorably discharged from the Army. We last ran into him when he failed to infiltrate SHIELD and carry out an assassination attempt on Director Fury in May of 2008. He's been underground since then. "

"Ma'am, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but he also specified you wear your hair down."

She stared at the scarred visage of the man of the screen with an almost feral look in her eye. Her eyes studied the puckered mark on his cheek.

"That's because, Agent, I stabbed him with a bobby pin the last time we met."

The room was silent for a moment.

"Sitrep?" Fury asked.

"We have five armed hostiles, one agent down, eight new agents, and four civilians. Location is secure, and the media is unaware of the situation. No sign of an incendiary device yet," another agent reported.

"Get Romanoff and Barton in here," Hill ordered.

"Goddamnit, Hill!" Fury roared.

The agents in the room looked up in shock, seemingly missing the link of what had just transpired between the top two.

"You and I both know this is the best option," her voice raised. "Roberts is down with eight fucking rookies that don't have a clue what our protocols are in this situation, and we've got to get those civilians out of there without blowing up some part of the city. There's no other choice, especially after the Chitauri Invasion."

The other agents kept their heads down as the director radiated anger as he stared down the Deputy Director who was not backing down.

"None of this leaves this room," Fury growled after a moment with a look around the room. "You know what you're walking into?"

"Porter likes to play games," she responded cooly. "That should give Romanoff and Barton enough time."

"But I thought he said-" another agent started to break in.

Maria fixed the agent with an icy glare.

"Technically they're assets of SHIELD."

The duo in question arrived at that moment and were quickly filled in on the situation. While Barton was staring at building schematics, Natasha looked up at Maria with sharp eyes.

"Don't do anything until the civilians are clear, and we find out where the hell he's placed this bomb," Maria ordered before the Russian could comment.

"Call Roberts' phone and tell Porter I'm on my way," she stated.

"Try not to get yourself killed, Hill. I don't have time to train another damned deputy director," Fury barked.

She could sense the fondness in his gruff statement, and she nodded, her face blank. Reaching up, she pulled the rubber band from her hair and let it fall.

"Put a medical team on standby," she ordered on her way out.

"Get me some fucking audio in that building, and have Carter set up a response unit across the street," he snarled as he watched her leave the room.

**shieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshield**

In her quarters, Maria quickly changed out of the catsuit and into something a little more civilian. She stared thoughtfully at her phone for a moment, before exhaling deeply and shooting off a quick text to Steve.

_'Gotta work late tonight. Can you take Hermes on a walk for me?'_

She quickly hit send, and squelched the small feeling of guilt that was traveling through her stomach. She was fucking compromised. This is why she didn't do personal relationships. Steve was going to kill her himself when he found out.

'_You're a damned sap, Hill,' she told herself._

The door to her room suddenly opened, and Romanoff walked in.

"You're not telling us everything," the redhead snapped.

Maria sighed.

"Porter likes to play _games_," she repeated. "And this one is going to get personal."

Natasha continued to stare her down.

"There's a good chance I'm not walking out of this one," she admitted. "I'm almost positive he was behind the attack at my house."

Romanoff remained silent.

"No matter what happens to me, clear the city first. SHIELD can't handle another hit right now."

"So you're just going to sacrifice yourself?" Natasha said angrily.

"To protect our mission here? Yes," Maria answered firmly. "That's my job. I'd never ask my agents to do something I wouldn't do myself, and it's finally caught up with me."

"Fuck," Natasha whispered. "Did you at least tell him."

Maria didn't have to ask to know who she meant.

"I told him I was working late tonight," she muttered.

She carefully placed her phone, gun, and ID on the table beside the bed, and ignored her friend.

"Let's go. We're wasting time."


	11. Day 11: Arguing Part II

A/N: Warnings for violence in this chapter and probably the next. I know, in theory, SHIELD would never let someone as high-profile as Hill turn herself in, especially with the information she knows, but indulge me and my love of angst.

A/N2: Thanks for all the likes and reviews! I'll try to get caught up with those asap. They make me happy :)

* * *

Maria Hill walked steadily towards the doors of the warehouse with her head held high. She fought back a shiver and pulled the leather jacket tighter around her body as her combat boots softly thudded across the pavement. The jeans were a bit itchy and she almost regretted pulling them on instead of a pair of slacks, but she didn't want to ruin a good pair of dress pants. Her eyes scanned the empty streets and she hid the smile that threatened to escape. Fucking hell, this felt like a western movie and she was just waiting for a tumbleweed to blow by. She didn't think Fury would be amused, and so she kept her thought to herself and her head in the game. Stopping short of the doors, she pulled the burn phone from her pocket and dialed Roberts' number.

"Deputy Director- I didn't think you'd have the balls to show," the voice at the other end greeted her with a drawl.

"You should know me better than that, Porter. Are you going for the rustic western set this time? It's a little lacking."

Her tone was light, but she knew he could sense the undercurrents of warning in her voice. He chuckled softly, and she felt a coldness spread through her body. She'd forgotten how much she hated this man. He had apparently never forgotten her. They had always played a dangerous game of cat and mouse, but he always managed to slip free at the last second. She wasn't taking that chance this time. She'd take care of it herself, even at the expense of her own life.

"As much as I'd love to go for that tropical location, my finances aren't what they used to be," he said with a chuckle. "You always were the only one who'd talk back to me. Just for that, darling, I'll release your injured agent as a show of good faith. You'll have to come get him. I'm afraid he can't move too easily by himself. You can have one unarmed agent meet you at the door."

The line clicked dead, and she exhaled slowly. She reached out and pushed open the doors to the building, blinking heavily as her eyes adjusted to the change in light. The group was gathered in the middle of the spacious room, and Porter had the agents kneeling. His four men had guns pressed to the back of their heads, while his own was pointed at one of the children. She quickly studied the rusted machinery present in his setup and knew this wasn't some spur of the moment job. Porter had planned this for a long time coming. She pressed her lips together, and her eyes darted to Roberts who was surrounded by a growing pile of blood. She strode towards him without a glance towards the others.

"Maria," Porter said, almost caressing her name in his mouth.

"Ethan," she replied with a steely edge.

He smiled a little smile as she continued to ignore him, heading straight for Roberts. She frowned when she got closer and noted the displacement of his leg and what remained of his kneecap. He was shivering, and stared at her with forlorn eyes.

"Commander-" he gasped out.

"Hush now," she ordered with an edge of softness.

She unwound the scarf around her neck, and quickly bound his leg as best she could. It would do until he could get to a medic. Ignoring his grimace, she maneuvered him so he was leaning on her and hauled him to his feet, almost stumbling under his weight. He cried out, the movement jarring his leg and she cursed under her breath. They slowly made their way towards the door where Agent Johnson met her with an unreadable look. She shot him a hard look, her gaze never faltering. She passed him off, and slowly tuned back towards Porter.

"Now that that's taken care of," the man said. "Let's play a game."

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Although his eyes were focused on the sketchbook in his lap, Steve Rogers' mind was elsewhere. His hand clenched around the pencil while he searched through his thoughts to determine when it had gone wrong. He could feel Maria closing herself off again by the second day at the beach, but had assumed it was just aftermath from Chicago and wanted to give her space. Apparently, he was wrong.

"You're going to break that pencil."

Steve looked up to see Tony enter the room with a scotch in one hand.

"What's eating ya, Capsicle? Trouble in paradise?"

Steve just shot the billionaire a look knowing there was no way to get rid of Tony Stark when he sniffed out a problem, alcohol, or a teammate's discomfort. Stark just smiled and plopped down in the plush armchair beside him. Relaxing his hand and freeing the pencil from it's death grip, he inhaled deeply.

"I'm not sure how to convince her I'm here to stay without driving her away," he said after a moment.

"Ah," Tony replied before taking a sip of his cocktail. "I'm going to be completely honest here. Hill's never been one of my favorite people. I mean she hangs out with the pirate and she's all rules and regulations, and scary, murderous looks-"

"Tony," Steve sighed wearily.

"Sorry. My point is she's used to being on her own and never depending on anyone. Chicago scared her. She's probably going to try to push you away in some self-sacrificing gesture because she doesn't think she deserves nice, shiny things, so it's important you stick around and prove her wrong."

Steve blinked.

"That actually makes sense."

"I don't know why everyone thinks I'm an idiot," Stark said with an eye roll. "I may not yet be an expert on interpersonal relationships, but I do pay attention."

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Rumors of the trade Deputy Director Hill was making spread like wildfire around SHIELD. Fury had split many of the agents into a task force to determine the location of the bomb in New York and allow Romanoff and Barton the chance to intervene more quickly. The live feed was thrown up on the main screen reminding everyone why they needed to work as efficiently as possible. When the audio filtered through, all Nick Fury could do was watch and clench his fists.

"Now that that's taken care of," Ethan Porter said. "Let's play a game."

Although her face remained impassive, Maria watched him warily. She knew he was a dangerous man who was used to getting what he wanted. And for the the few years before he went underground, he had made it clear he wanted her. She had never been sure of the origin of his obsession, but their previous entanglements had ended with his scarred face, her broken wrist, and his unfortunate escape from custody.

"We're going to have some fun, you and I," he began slowly, his eyes appraising. "But there are all these wonderful playthings here with us."

His hand rested atop the head of a curly headed toddler. Maria grit her teeth.

"This is between us, Ethan. Let's leave them out of it."

He grinned as if she had said something magical, and her eyes locked onto his.

"You're quite correct, my dear. It's always been you. Well then, for every ten minutes you hold out, I'll release a hostage."

"You'll release the mother and her three children after the first ten minutes," Maria shot back.

Porter was still, but as he studied her his smile grew.

"Twenty minutes, then all the children," he countered. "The mother after the next ten. That's the only deal I'm willing to make, darling."

"And leave you with knowledge of the bomb?" She raised an eyebrow.

His eyes danced, and she felt her stomach drop. She knew there was more to this whole charade, and he seemed well aware of the fact she had no choice but to play his game.

"If you promise not to fight back, darling, I'll give you a clue right now."

"I accept your terms," she replied as if they were discussing a car sale instead of her life.

"If I were you, I'd be concerned about all those tourists and their love of musicals," he said. "Now walk to me."

She didn't falter as she strode towards the center of the room with her chin held high. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her unease. She stood in front of him, her gaze unwavering as he looked her up and down. He circled her slowly, and she forced her breathing to remain even. Without warning, he kicked her legs out from under her causing her to fall to her knees. She caught herself before she hit too hard, but his hand fisted in her hair as he pulled her head back before she could rise. She let her hands remain limply at her sides as he tugged roughly at her scalp, exposing her neck.

"I'm surprised your master let you off your leash," he teased while forcing her to remain in the submissive position. "All those secrets in that pretty little head."

He studied her for a minute before breaking out into a loud laugh.

"You didn't tell him," he exclaimed as she continued to glare.

"Fuck off, Porter," she growled, and he wrenched her head back farther.

"You're something else, darling."

"So I've been told."

"That's why you've always been my favorite," he chuckled. "Always running your mouth."

He turned to the security camera with a wry grin, and thrust his gun under her chin. She could feel the metal digging into her throat.

"I know you're watching, Director. I hope your entire organization appreciates the sacrifice the lovely deputy director is making on your behalf. What she neglected to tell you was that she knew she wasn't going to be leaving here alive. And the best part is, she's just going to lie down and take it."

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"Motherfucker!" Fury cursed as he slammed his fist down on the table.

"Hill, if you make it out of this one, I'm going to kill you myself," he whispered under his breath before ordering teams to clear the major theatres in Times Square.

He turned back to the screen in time to see Porter bring the butt of his gun down hard across Hill's temple, the impact sending her sprawling to the ground. She was still for a moment, stunned. Porter grabbed a solid piece of wood the size of a baseball bat before he sauntered over to her, his steel toed boot connecting with her side. She scrambled to her feet, her eyes flashing and her hands instinctively assuming a fighting stance. She forced herself to remain still. He reared back before bringing the makeshift bat crashing down on her side as she doubled over. A soft gasp of pain flew from her mouth, and he paused giving her a chance to regain her footing.

Fury was silent as he studied her appearance. There was a large gash on her forehead that was slowly dripping blood, and he could tell by the way she was holding herself she had reinjured the ribs on her left side. He ground his teeth as the agents around him stared on in shock.

"Shit," someone at the next workstation over whispered as Porter backhanded her across the face.

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Hill remained relatively quiet as the beating continued, her gaze occasionally flickering to the other occupants of the room. She noticed one of the rookie agents had a slightly belligerent expression, and she hoped he had enough sense to not get involved. His hands twitched and she could tell he was going to do something stupid.

"Stand down, agent," she barked, her eyes flashing. "That's an order."

Porter caught her by the wrist, and applied just enough pressure to her little finger that she stilled. There was a soft beeping noise, and Porter looked down with pleased expression.

"Twenty minutes, Hill. Congratulations."

Then he snapped her finger.

She bit back the cry that threatened to bubble up while her eyes watered. She allowed herself a moment to close her eyes and take a deep breath, before facing Porter with a deadly gaze. He merely smiled at her before leaning closer.

"You're quiet now, Agent, but don't worry. You will scream for me."

"Go fuck yourself," she stated.

"Language, darling. Now why don't you escort those beautiful children to the door."

She slowly made her way over to the young woman holding the children close to her sides. The mother bit back a thankful sob that was tinged with guilt, as Maria carefully took the toddler in her arms. The young boy clung to her, and she winced, her breathing hitched. Johnson met her at the door once more, and she handed off the children, ignoring his concerned expression. She didn't have time for this. She needed to get the mother out of the building before she passed out. Turning, she walked back towards Ethan who continued to watch her intently.

"Have a seat," he said pleasantly and gestured to a chair as if he hadn't just beaten the crap out of her.

She crossed her arms gently and sat.


	12. Day 12: Arguing Part III

A/N: Well, this is much later than I liked. Fair Warning- lots of angst and violence in this one. Next chapter should be up much quicker. It's already halfway written. Thanks to everyone who's liked and commented. Makes me happy to know others are enjoying it too!

* * *

Day 12: Arguing Part III

The room remained silent other than the audio crackling through the surround sound system. Many of the agents had turned away from the visual streaming from the warehouse, but the audio was impossible to tune out. Most of the people in the room were technological specialists who were not used to observing field situations first hand. They ran down possible targets, extraction protocols, and recoveries that were turned over to the handlers to implement. They were not used to seeing an agent let alone their boss in the direct line of fire. Fury forced himself to unclench his fists as Hill took an especially hard blow to her face. If the brunette managed to make it out of this one he doubted anyone would ever question her authority or loyalty again. It was clear many agents had forgotten she had been one of the best field agents SHIELD recruited before moving up the ranks.

"Someone better fucking tell me we have something," he barked.

The hushed silence that greeted him made him want to growl.

"We've cleared over half the theatres in Times Square, and should have the remaining ones swept in at least an hour," a soft-spoken agent volunteered.

"Does it look like we have that kind of time?" He bellowed while gesturing towards the screen.

A harried looking man burst into the room.

"Sir, Captain Rogers is here requesting to speak to the Deputy Director."

Fury exhaled slowly, and was about to tell the agent to direct the Captain to his office when he heard a loud commotion from down the hall.

"This shitstorm's about to get a whole hell of a lot worse," he muttered under his breath as he turned to face an enraged super soldier.

"Director Fury, I do believe you'd like to fill me in on the situation," Steve said with thinly veiled anger when his eyes locked onto the live feed.

"Captain Rogers, I didn't realize you were planning on stopping by today."

Fury hoped the Captain understood his unspoken warning.

"Deputy Director Hill informed me she had some information about volunteer efforts in the city I may be interested in. I wasn't doing much today, and decided I may as well stop by for a meeting."

Fury nodded, and knew Hill would be happy she wouldn't be the subject of even more office scuttlebutt.

"An incident occurred during a training exercise this morning resulting in a hostage situation. The man responsible is a longtime enemy of SHIELD and the Deputy Director. He allegedly has a bomb planted in Time Square, and has threatened to detonate it if the Avengers were involved or if Deputy Director Hill did not meet with him in person. She knew the risks and volunteered against my wishes in order to minimize the civilian casualties. I trust her threat assessment and ability to handle the situation. Agents Barton and Romanoff are standing by as soon as the threat to the City is neutralized."

"What can I do to help?" Steve asked, and both men turned towards the monitor.

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Her head was swimming, and the pounding from behind her right eye socket was excruciating. Testing the limit of her newest injury, she tried to open her eyes to focus on the grinning man in front of her and softly hissed. Her right eye was definitely swollen shut. Maria swallowed hard and willed her body to keep it together while she slowly raised her head. After the children had gone, Porter had increased the intensity of his assault without delivering anything life threatening. He had avoided her face until that last blow that caught her right cheekbone when the timer had gone off for the second time. She hauled herself to her feet, catching herself on the back of the chair when she sucked in a breath that made her lungs feel like they were on fire.

The other woman wouldn't look her in the eye. Maria didn't take offense. She knew the woman was frantic to be rejoined with her children and was no doubt feeling a tinge of survivor's guilt. Porter didn't say a word, only gestured towards the door with a smile. She wanted to carve off that smirk with a knife. She settled for a one eyed glare and bit back the laugh that threatened to escape when she wondered if this is what Fury felt. Damn it all to hell, she was losing it. The door felt farther away this time, and as they neared it she stumbled and the woman reached toward her with a fearful expression as Maria grasped her forearm.

"Tell them Apollo," she whispered.

The other woman blinked hard before giving a slight lift to her chin in acknowledgement. The door was pushed open, and Maria sunk her weight into the doorframe as she turned her face away from the harsh afternoon sun. The woman scrambled passed her and out the door before turning with a thankful look and speaking to one of the agents close at hand. Lingering in the sun for a few seconds more, Maria turned and let the door slam shut behind her.

She was instantly met with a hand around her throat that lifted her off the ground and slammed her into the concrete wall with enough force to make her see stars. She bit back the rising wave of nausea at the sudden movement. With the civilians gone, she decided it was time for the rules to change and immediately fought for leverage. The man currently crushing her larynx was one of Porter's goons who wasn't expecting her to fight back. She caught him in the eye, and he loosened his grip enough for her to shift her weight forward and grab the back of his neck with her hands. She twisted abruptly, falling backward, and snapped his neck using his own body weight against him.

She slid to the floor, her heart racing, and shoved the dead man to the side. She coughed hard, and the movement sent waves of pain crashing inside her ribs. She could feel the blackness encroaching on her vision and knew she was running out of time.

"I thought this was just between us," she said hoarsely.

Porter just laughed.

"You're quite right, my dear."

"How long can a person go before passing out?" Clint muttered despondently as he watched the scene play out beneath him.

Natasha shot him a warning glare, before sending a signal back to Fury alerting him they were in place.

Barton continued to watch, his teeth gritted. He was prepared to be in situations like this. What he wasn't prepared for was to see his friend thrown about the room like a rag doll. Hill always had a larger than life reputation. She was stone cold in the worst situations, rarely letting her sarcastic side slip through, especially when she was aware of the live stream. She was an intensely private person, but somewhere along the way she had taken a liking to the two assassins and let them see beyond the ice queen persona. It was hard to remember she was just as human as the rest of them. He glanced at his partner. Well, almost the rest of them.

Natasha clenched her fists when Porter landed a blow that sent Maria's head reeling backward. The agent was still for a moment, her head bowed. Even from a distance, it was easy to see the swelling and bruising that was beginning to cover her face. Her hair hung limply, and she slowly reached up to tug a strand of blood-matted hair behind her ear before fixing Porter with a sharp glare. Natasha felt her lips quirk upwards. Same old Maria.

Barton tensed beside her when Maria struggled to her feet. She was moving sluggishly as she escorted the last civilian to the door. Barton narrowed his gaze when the agent whispered something to the woman.

"Apollo. Clear the Apollo Theatre immediately," he whispered into the com.

The wait was agonizing as the two assassins braced for action as soon as they received the all-clear. They could only watch while Maria killed her assailant while Porter watched with a smile. With a quick nod of his head, the rest of Porter's men roughly pulled the rookie agents to their feet while he sauntered over to where Maria sat collapsed against the wall. He didn't spare his dead accomplice a second glance, before he wrapped his hand around her forearm and jerked her up. She couldn't hold back the muffled whimper of pain, and he practically cooed at her in response. He pressed the muzzle of his gun against her temple, and dragged her back towards the center of the room.

"Well, here we are," Porter whispered into her ear. "I could just shoot you and be done with it."

She remained silent.

"Or I could draw it out, and make you beg for it. The Mighty Maria Hill-," his voice trailed off. "But you'd never do that, would you darling? You're a good little soldier, loyal to the end, and yet you'd give your life for them wouldn't you?"

His grip on her tightened as he waved the gun around the room.

"Can you clarify that pronoun? Did you mean them as in the agents or them as in the city in general, because that was a little vague," she slurred.

He looked down at her with a mixture of murderous rage with a hint of fondness, and she crinkled her nose.

"I'm just saying if you're going to give threatening speeches, vagueness isn't a sought after trait."

"What the hell is she doing?" Barton hissed.

"Stalling," Romanoff responded.

"And do you know how long it took me to pick out that color for my front door?"

Porter smiled, his thoughts redirected.

"I knew you'd figure it out," he replied. "I thought you might appreciate a little _foreplay_."

His hand trailed down her side, and she winced at the pressure he applied on her ribs.

"I'd say you need to work on your skills. Flowers would have been simpler," she said dryly.

"I had to get your attention somehow, darling. Maybe I'll visit Chicago next. I've heard it's a beautiful city."

"What did you say?" her voice hardened as she twisted to look up at him.

He stared down at her with a sickening smile, and she remained expressionless despite her growing rage. A soft tap above her clued her in.

"_Green, Delta Strike."_

"You'll die alone, you know. No one out there cares what sacrifices you make."

"You've made a mistake, Ethan."

He quirked an eyebrow.

"I'm not alone."

He pulled her tightly against him as the rest of his men dropped to the floor with arrows in their chests. She could feel the cool metal digging into her cheek, and her eyes briefly flickered shut as she bit her lip to keep from crying out. She opened her eyes and stared directly at Barton.

"Shoot him. Shoot him now."

She hated how weak her voice sounded to her own ears, but knew no one had a clean shot. Drawing her eyes back to Barton's, she let her knees buckle.

A gunshot echoed.

The soft silence of an arrow ended with a thud as it met its target.

Maria looked around mutely as Natasha rushed towards her and Porter, her mouth moving but no sound escaping. She blinked hard, and the noise began to rush back to her ears. Porter was on the floor in front of her. She was on her knees, swaying slightly as Porter stared at her with a grin. An arrow had pierced his throat, and she knew he'd be dead in a matter or seconds. Her hands were wet, and when she glanced down she was puzzled to see them covered in red.

"Oh god," she heard someone say.

The first wave of pain hit her hard and sent her collapsing to her side. Barton caught her head before it could hit the floor. She could hear the faint gargled rasp as Porter laughed one last time.

"I can count the number of friends I have on one hand, and she is one of them," Romanoff said emotionlessly before shooting him in the head. "I only wish you could suffer more."

"Didn't know you cared so much, Romanoff," Maria gasped, her body arching in pain.

"Shut up Hill, you're bleeding out," Clint growled as he pressed his hands harder into her abdomen.

"Tell him I'm sorry," she whispered.

Her head lolled towards Natasha and she tried to focus on the redhead. Her one good eye wasn't cooperating, and she found herself frowning.

"No can do, Hill. You'll be back bitching us all out in no time," Clint replied with a worried glance towards his partner.

"Where the fuck is medical?" a voice yelled.

She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Fucking hell, she'd forgotten how much getting shot hurt. The beating may have exacerbated it though. At this point, her muddled mind couldn't tell. Her breathing grew more ragged, and she wanted to tell Barton there wasn't any point. Her lung had been punctured, and the percentage of her living through this steadily dropped. She tried to move her head, but she could feel herself drifting further away, and her body was no longer cooperating.

"Goddamnit Maria, don't do this!"

The world became blissfully quiet once more, and she felt her breathing slow, before everything went black as someone grabbed her hand.

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"_She has a collapsed lung. Hand me that syringe."_

_"She's not breathing."_

_"Fucking hell, hand me the paddles."_

_"Charging...Clear!"_

_"We're losing her."_

_"Fury's going to murder us all."_

_"Come on, Commander. Come back to us."_

_"Charging-"_

_"Barton's going to eat all your cheese dip.'_

_"Clear!"_

_"She's back."_

_"I told you not to mess with Hill's cheese dip. She doesn't share well."_

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All activity in the control room had ceased when Barton's arrow found it's mark. Fury breathed a small sigh of relief that quickly turned to dread when Hill didn't get up. They watched as the Deputy Director swayed and looked at her hands before collapsing on her side.

"Motherfucker!" Fury yelled and slammed his hands down on the console as he watched Barton frantically apply pressure.

The pool of blood surrounding the brunette agent continued to grow, and it was clear to see she was in pain. The scene was in chaos, and all he could do was watch from afar. He could hear the quiet acceptance in Hill's voice muddled together with Barton's edgy comebacks as he told her to hang on. Fury's eyes shifted to the right side of the feed as Steve Rogers burst through the door having obviously ran all the way from Times Square. His eyes frantically darted around the warehouse until they settled on the huddled group in the middle. One of the medics yelled for the paddles, and the super soldier just about came unglued.

He fell to his knees beside her, gently grasping her hand in his as if it were the only thing tethering him to the world.

"Don't you dare die on me, Maria. Not like this," Rogers pleaded as Hill's head fell limply to the ground.

"Your brother said he'd kill me if anything happened to you. And what about Hermes, huh?"

His voice broke, and she was pulled away from him.

"I'm coming with you," he ordered, leaving no room for argument.

"Cap-," Natasha started.

"I don't care. I love her," he stubbornly replied before following the medical team to the ambulance.

"Cut the audio," Fury ordered with a sigh.

So much for that staying secret.

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"_She's coding again."_

_"We're two minutes out."_

_"Charging-"_

_"I love you, damn it."_

_"Clear."_

_"Nothing."_

_"Increase the charge."_

_"Please, Maria."_

_"Clear."_

_"We've got her."_


	13. Day 13: Gazing Into Each Others Eyes

Ch.13: Gazing Into Each Others Eyes

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Pepper Potts prided herself on knowing exactly how to rectify any situation she walked into but the scene in front of her hit her harder than most. She paused at the door to the waiting area and took in the morose atmosphere in front of her. Both Natasha and Clint stared vacantly at the beige wall in front of them. They were sitting so close together their thighs were touching, seemingly giving both assassins some sort of quiet strength. Barton's shirt was darkly stained, and Pepper's stomach lurched when she realized it was blood. Steve was sitting by himself, his gaze locked on the window and his jaw clenched. She studied him and noted the swirls of red still staining his hands and clothing. She wasn't aware of the details, but one look at Steve was all she needed to see to know that whatever had happened was bad. Tony came up behind her and froze as he took in the scene.

"Shit," he muttered softly, and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before sliding into the room and heading towards Banner.

Without another word, Pepper quickly got to work. She started by handing Barton a change of clothes, and gave him a soft smile when he nodded his thanks. The archer stood with a heavy sigh, his eyes briefly locking onto the super soldier before resting on his partner. Natasha inclined her head ever so slightly, and he grasped her forearm in support before he quietly headed to the bathroom to get rid of his bloodstained clothes. Pepper handed Natasha a cup of coffee and a bag of mixed nuts, before straightening and heading towards the Captain. She softly cleared her throat as she took a few steps towards him, but he paid her no mind. Frowning at his state of mind, she approached him from the front so he could clearly see who was walking up to him. He stared through her, eyes vacant, and she crouched down in front of him like she was trying to calm a wild animal.

"Steve?" she questioned with a gentle touch on his forearm.

He blinked hard, eyes refocusing, before he seemed to notice her for the first time. His expression crumbled.

"Oh, Steve," she sighed, and moved to sit beside him while keeping her hand on his arm. "Maria's strong. I'm sure she'll be fine."

"We lost her twice on the way over here."

Pepper blanched.

"I just-," he paused and ran a hand over his face. "She sent me a fucking text."

Pepper made no move to acknowledge the curse that fell from his lips.

"If you care about someone, wouldn't you do more than text before handing yourself over to a madman?"

"I think she cares more than you know," Pepper responded softly. "And she doesn't know how to handle that."

Steve ducked his head, and stopped short at the sight of his bloodstained hands. Pepper sighed. Handing him a duffle bag, she patted his shoulder.

"Go change," she said firmly.

He nodded sharply, and stumbled to his feet. Pepper watched him leave the room before heading towards Tony and Dr. Banner. Slipping into a chair beside them, she sighed heavily.

"Do we have any idea what happened?" she questioned softly.

Tony looked up from his tablet with a frown.

"Hacking into SHIELD databases now," he muttered. "It must have been bad if the wonder twins are out of it."

Pepper frowned disapprovingly, but made no move to stop him. A few minutes later, she wished she had. They watched the archived video with horrified expressions, and forty five minutes later Pepper found herself silently wiping away tears.

"Fuck," Tony muttered softly with an unreadable expression flashing across his face.

Pepper just rested her hand on his arm.

They all sat in silence.

Hours later, there was a flurry of excitement and raised voices when Nick Fury burst into the room looking incensed. A frantic looking nurse trailed behind him in the midst of a sentence, and watched in horror as he pushed passed the double doors labeled 'Medical Personnel Only'.

"I damn well expected timely updates on the Deputy Director's condition, and that does not mean hours without contact. Now, you better tell me what's going on or I'll fire your motherfucking ass!"

Tony and Bruce gaped at the Director's outburst and the remaining conversation faded away down the hall.

"Didn't realize he cared so much," Tony said to no one in particular.

"She was always Fury's," Clint responded, looking up for the first time in hours. "He pulled her out of Chicago when she was maybe sixteen, and directed her towards the Marines."

"Everyone always knew not to fuck with Hill or Coulson," Natasha added with a solemn half-smile.

Loud footsteps echoed beyond the double doors, and everyone's attentions shifted hopefully for any form of news. The Director tiredly entered the room, his eye focusing on the other occupants and weighed the situation. His gaze settled on Steve, and the super soldier stood up hesitantly.

"She's in a medically induced coma for at least 72 hours, but if she makes it through the next 24 hours, the surgeon thinks she'll make it."

"Can we see her?" Steve asked, his voice surprisingly steady.

"They're moving her to observation in about an hour," he said, running a hand over his head.

"When can she be moved?" Tony blurted out. "As in away from here."

Fury gave him a long, hard look.

"I'm sure this secret SHIELD hospital outpost is all fine and dandy, but it makes more sense for Hill to recover at the Tower. I have a top of the line medical suite and we can hire any personnel she needs. It'll be safer and easier to contain from the media unless you plan to have the Avengers camped out here for the next week or more."

Fury's expression softened ever so slightly.

"I'll see what I can do."

"I'd like to see a copy of the medical report," Bruce chimed in softly.

Fury stood and headed towards the doors once more, before pausing.

"I've informed the World Security Council that Senator Lawrence will be read in and his clearance level raised," he directed towards Steve. "His helicopter should arrive shortly."

Steve nodded, his mind still foggy as he tried to process everything. Fury inclined his head, then disappeared behind the doors.

It was a credit to Senator Marc Lawrence's composure that the only reaction to a team of superheroes in the waiting room was a raised eyebrow.

"He does the eyebrow thing too," Stark said offhandedly.

Pepper rolled her eyes with an exasperated huff, and stood to greet the man.

"Senator Lawrence," she began and quickly introduced him to the people in the room.

"Call me Marc," he said with a tight smile before rubbing his hand through his hair. "Can you tell me what happened?"

The room's occupants exchanged a quick glance before Steve Rogers stood with a pained expression.

"There was a hostage situation and a bomb threat. Your sister-," he broke off. "Maria exchanged herself for the safe return of multiple civilians and other agents, and gave us time to locate the bomb. She saved the city from another devastating blow."

"And her prognosis?"

"It doesn't look good."

Steve half expected the man to throw a punch or berate them all, but Marc remained silent. He sighed heavily, and looked around the room once more.

"Thank you all for being there for her," he said softly and sunk down into a chair.

Steve hesitated at the door to Maria's room, and Natasha gave him a searching stare. He watched as Fury carefully brushed a strand of hair away from the part of her face that wasn't covered in gauze before slowly standing. The Director gave him a nod before heading out the door and down the hall. Natasha bumped her hip into his.

"She'll be okay," she said softly, and he slowly entered the room.

The stillness struck him. It all felt wrong. Maria wasn't one for waiting around, and she was always moving or analyzing something even when she was in the background, and to see her absolutely motionless made his heart clench. His eyes slowly raked over her body noting the various bandages and bruises before stoping on her face. The doctor had informed him that other than the gunshot wound they were most concerned about the skull fracture and brain swelling, but it looked reasonable for now. Steve wanted to laugh at that- how could brain swelling be reasonable?

"I'm mad at you, you know," he started softly. "We're going to have a nice long talk when you wake up about letting me know when you're upset. I know you're apprehensive. Heck, this is new for both of us, but I can't read your mind. I love you, and I'll do whatever you need me to do to make you more comfortable with our relationship, but you're not going to push me away. You hear me?"

He paused, his eyes raking over her still form. If it had been a movie, he would have finished his heartfelt speech to the fluttering of her beautiful blue eyes, but this wasn't a movie. Her eyes remained closed.

Natasha stood just outside the door, her heart tugging painfully for her two friends. She pushed down on the surge of emotion, and her face remained expressionless. A rising restlessness urged her hands to tremble, but she forced herself to remain still and keep a silent vigil over the fallen Commander.

"You're a damned idiot, Hill," she muttered to herself, her eyes trained down the empty hall.

Two days later, she was transported to the tower and away from the flurry of media who had descended once it was known the Avengers had been spotted near a medical facility. Headlines had questioned the emergency, but no details of the situation had been discovered as of yet. The doctors remained optimistic, and had dropped the level of pain medication keeping her under and removed her from the ventilator. Another day passed, but there was no change in her condition.

"Why isn't she waking up?" Steve asked quietly, once the hired medical staff had left the room to Banner.

The mild-mannered man froze, his eyes darted quickly towards the redhead at the door who had seemingly appointed herself doorway security. He sighed, and walked over to the Captain.

"It's always hard to predict when someone will wake up especially with the number and severity of injuries Maria received. We also have to take into consideration her sheer level of exhaustion even before the hostage situation. She clearly needs the rest."

He paused, and Steve got the feeling there was something else tugging at the doctor's mind.

"Bruce?" he questioned politely.

Banner turned, his face betraying the message he was about to deliver.

"Steve, there's something else to consider," he started slowly. "She walked in there expecting to die. She has to _want_ to wake up."

Steve felt something akin to sheer panic hit him, and his stomach lurched as he tore his gaze away from Banner and back to the brunette beside him. Banner stopped, and sighed, before heading out the door.

"_Bruce_-," Romanoff hissed.

"It's fine, Natasha," Steve said quietly. "It's the truth."

The room collapsed back into silence punctuated by beeping machines. Tightly holding her limp hand, Steve Rogers prayed.

Two more days passed with no change, and Marc Lawrence announced his plans to head home to retrieve his wife and children and take another week's leave from office. A tale had been spun, probably by Fury, that the Senator's younger sister had been severely injured in a territorial gang battle near one of her big cat sanctuaries she had privately funded. Finding no holes in the elusive heiress' story, the media bought it, and condolences had been offered to the Lawrence family.

That afternoon, Steve found himself absentmindedly scratching Hermes behind the ears while reading aloud from the latest book JARVIS had recommended. The dog's tongue lolled out of his mouth as he gave Steve his trademark smile before flopping down on the cool floor beside his mistress's bed. Steve paused his reading, and silently took in the steady rise and fall of Maria's chest wishing for any sign she might wake up. His face fell once more and he reopened the book.

"'_Whisper that I have a chance to win your love.' And with that, she dared the bravest thing she'd ever done; she looked right into his eyes."_

Steve paused in between Buttercup's proclamation of true love for her Wesley, and smiled.

"Please come back to me," he said softly, and turned the page. Hearing a soft sigh, he quickly glanced up.

He dropped the book with a thud.

Maria was staring back at him, her icy blue eyes wide and clear, before blinking a few times as if to clear her head.

His breath caught in his throat as he sprung to his feet, and continued to just stare at her. She studied his face, her brow furrowed in slight confusion as she took in her surroundings before meeting his gaze. The corner of her mouth curved up impishly.

"As you wish," she said hoarsely. "You damn hopeless romantic."

His response was a laugh that was almost half sob, as he gently pressed his lips to hers.

_"Captain. Shall I inform the others that Commander Hill is awake?"_

"In a moment, Jarvis," he replied before kissing her again.

* * *

A/N: I'm a loser, and I can only apologize for this exceptionally long wait brought to you by real life. Ugh. The book quote is from The Princess Bride by William Goldman.


	14. Day 14: Making Up

A/N: Wow... two chapters in two days! It's a miracle! Surprise! This one went in a different direction than I had originally planned, but the snark just wouldn't stop flowing. Apparently having not packed for a trip I go on in less than 12 hours is amazing for the creative writing process. I got so much written... and no laundry done. awesome. Y'all enjoy!

* * *

**Day 14: Making Up **

The stitches tugged painfully at her side when she slowly rose from the bed that had been keeping her hostage for the past two weeks. Normally, she would have concealed the grimace that stretched across her face (sending her cheek into another painful fit), but thankfully the room was

empty. She moved slowly, her hand hovering close to her side. Her wounds had her

feeling stiff and off balance, and the lack of productivity was starting to drive her batshit crazy.

'Damn it all to hell,' she muttered softly. 'You should be able to handle a fucking bullet wound, Hill.'

"I'm almost positive it's more of a gaping hole in your side where I had to hold your intestines in, but ya know."

She shot Clint a withering glare as he strolled through the door with two cups in hand.

She zeroed in on his offering.

"For the love of God, _please_ tell me that is a milkshake," she said.

He chuckled and passed her the cup in his left hand.

"I thought you might be tired of protein shakes and tea."

Her response was a loud slurp accompanied by a quick flash of bliss across her face. She had been limited to a liquid diet while her cheekbone healed, and she was longing to sink her teeth into a hamburger. Still, sugar was an acceptable temporary alternative to her recently bland diet.

"Should you even be out of bed?" he prodded as he gave her a once over.

Her face was still marred by bruising and a two inch line of stitches that ran from her right eye down her cheekbone. The doctors had said it was a miracle she didn't seem to have any vision issues. Her throat was no longer swollen and her voice had lost the husky quality that had lingered after her strangulation. Her breathing was still slightly hitched, and he knew from experience it would take a few months for her to return to the level of stamina she was at before the whole debacle.

"Are you done with your inspection?"

Although he had only ticked off half of her injuries, he could sense the warning in her tone. She was probing to see if any of his concern melted into pity, in which case he'd be kicked out of her room faster than he could launch an arrow. He could almost feel her raising her defenses, and he sighed heavily. She hadn't done that in his presence in years. He sharply met her intense stare, and took a long, slow drag of his own milkshake.

Her lips twitched, and the tension in the room lessened.

"That was a brave thing you did," he said after a moment.

Her chin fell, and he felt himself bristle with anger at the past and present circumstances that had made the woman in front of him doubt her own self-worth that much.

"Yeah, letting him beat the crap out of me really showed off my skills."

"We're trained to fight back," he stated firmly. "What you did was much harder. That's why you're in charge. That's why Nat and I will always follow your orders."

She stared at him under her lashes, silently appraising his statement.

"I think this is the most heartfelt conversation we've ever had, Barton," she drawled. "Should we make friendship bracelets or exchange pinky swears next?"

"You're still a bitch."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," she replied with a smile.

"Oh my god, will you two cut it out," Natasha said with a roll of her eyes as she entered the room.

Maria leaned against the corner of her bed, shifting uncomfortably as she tried to remain standing.

"Look Hill, it's your BFF!" Barton proclaimed before ducking the redhead's halfhearted punch.

"You two headed out?" the brunette questioned.

The assassins exchanged glances.

"There's a situation in Singapore," Natasha offered with a frown.

"Well, thanks for the milkshake," she said and raised the cup in salute.

"I told him he should bring you a margarita," Natasha retorted.

"Oh, Fury said he'd stop by later tonight," Clint added as he followed his partner out the door. "Clearly SHIELD falls apart without you there."

Maria just groaned.

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"_I'm doing fine, Marc. You made the right decision staying in Chicago."_

Steve lightly rapped on the door, and she waved him in while listening to her brother on the other end.

"_You can all come out to New York when I look less like a punching bag...Yes, I'm sure it'll be fine with Tony. I know the girls were looking forward to it... Uh huh, ok Marc, I gotta go. Bye."_

"Hey," he said softly.

Her eyes softened.

"Hey yourself."

He slowly walked over to the bed and gingerly sank down beside her. He frowned while his eyes mapped over her face cataloguing every visible injury before returning to meet her own gaze. Taking a deep breath, she cocked her head to the side and paused.

"Maria?" he softly prodded.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I did before-," she took a deep breath, and her eyes fell to her hands. "I was selfish, and I should have called you."

Steve's eyes widened and he promptly forgot everything he was going to bring up. Her eyes were still fixated on her hands as she tightly twisted the corner of her blanket in her good hand.

"I just want you to know I'm not going anywhere," he responded. "I wasn't sure how to tell you without running you off, but this thing, Maria. This thing between us? It's good, and I don't want to lose it."

She looked up at him, eyes wide and lips parted. He reached out and covered her hand with his own, his thumb gently rubbing circles on her skin.

She closed her eyes then, her lips in a tight line.

"There are things I've done, still do, and will continue to do that you will one day hate me for," she said softly.

"Maria, look at me," he said firmly, and she complied with murky eyes. "We won't always see eye to eye on everything, but I will _never_ hate you."

She remained silent, her gaze calculating. He let go of her hand, and leaned forward to gently clasp her face in his hands and lightly run his fingers across her skin.

"You are the most unique woman I have ever met. All fire and ice with a strength beyond anything I could ever imagine. I don't know how you do the things you do, Maria, but without you-."

He shook his head, and smiled softly. His hands caressed her face once more, before he pulled back.

"_Steve_."

Her voice was so full of emotion that his head snapped back up. She fisted her hand in his shirt and pulled his mouth to hers. Maria wasn't shy about intimacy, and had never been afraid of using her tongue and teeth to show him just how much she wanted him. Words were hard for her, but action had always come easily once she made her choice. And damn the consequences, but she chose him.

He pulled away and stared down at her with a mixture of fondness and desire. She shivered under his direct stare for he made no effort to hide everything he felt for her. She shifted painfully, and his gaze instantly shifted to concern. She waved him off with a hand to her chest while she caught her breath.

"Normally it would be a compliment that I make you breathless," he said wryly.

She shot him a dirty look, and reached for the bottle of water beside her bed.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" he asked after a moment.

"_Really_?" she dryly replied.

He had the decency to look sheepish.

"I'll be back later," he said with a smile as he stood.

"Steve," she said almost shyly.

He turned towards her, his brow furrowed.

"I love you."

It was the first time she had initiated those three words and the grin she got in response could have lit up the Rockefeller Christmas tree for the entire holiday season. She rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. He rocked back onto his heels and then forward on his toes while continuing to grin.

"Don't make me regret saying it." she threatened and he let out a full belly laugh.

"I love you too," he returned before slipping out the door.

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Pepper stopped by later that afternoon with a vase of fresh flowers. Maria set down her book, and fondly greeted the redhead who looked slightly exasperated. Hermes trotted in on her heels.

"I just wanted to stop in and check on you in between meetings. Oh, and your dog is never moving out," she said with a shoulder scratch that Hermes greatly appreciated.

"Tony being an ass?" Maria questioned.

"When isn't he?"

Maria snorted, then shook her head when a strand of hair fell into her eyes. It was already coming loose from the ponytail she had somehow managed with one hand.

"Do you know any decent hair dressers willing to come to the tower?" she asked.

Pepper's eyes widened.

"I am so sorry, Maria! I didn't even think about that! Of course, we have a beauty team on staff."

Maria quirked an eyebrow, and Pepper smirked.

"It's useful when Tony pisses off the female employees. At least Stark Industries can offer a massage and a pedicure after a long week at the office. I'll get someone up here immediately. I hate to run, but I'll see you later!"

Maria watched as the CEO's fingers flew across her phone, and true to her word, not even ten minutes later there was a knock on her door and a mobile shampoo station was wheeled in.

If someone had told her a few weeks earlier that she would be sighing in pleasure as a stranger shampooed her hair, she would have punched them. Somehow, the two girls had talked her into a pedicure too, leaving her feeling unexpectedly girly.

"How much of a trim do you want?"

"Cut it all off," she replied without a second's hesitation. "As long as it doesn't get in my eyes, and I can manage to fix it with one hand, then do whatever you want."

The girl grinned.

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"What the hell did you do to your hair?" Fury said as he pushed through the door.

"Have you ever tried to fix hair with one...," her voice trailed off as she stared at his bald head. "Nevermind."

He snorted, and quietly studied the woman in front of him.

"It suits you," he said gruffly.

"Thanks."

When all was said and done she ended up with a pixie cut with side swept bangs. God, she hadn't had bangs since she was eight. But she'd be lying if she said she didn't like the change. Her head felt ten times lighter, and Anya had promised it would practically fix itself.

"Shows off your cheekbones, and frames your face better," he added after a moment.

She stared blankly at him.

"You've been binge watching America's Next Top Model haven't you?" she accused.

He just stared blankly ahead.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

She moved on.

"How's Singapore?"

"Going to hell in a motherfucking handbasket."

"I'm going to start keeping a journal of all the ridiculous shit you say."

He glared at her.

"What's the latest update from the doctor?"

She sighed.

"No solid food for another day, and I can start walking around tomorrow. No heavy exertion or exercise for at least six weeks, but I can start half days of desk work next week if I'm feeling up to it," she paused. "Unless you want to reinstate my access now."

"You're the only person I know that almost dies- did die- and wants to immediately come back to work."

"Nick, I'm bored."

She successfully kept the whine out of her voice.

"I'm on book 5 of the Harry Potter series and there's only so many crossword puzzles I can do in a day. I even got a _pedicure_."

"You may not want to come back when you hear what I have to say," he started with an ever so slight smirk.

She narrowed her gaze.

"Anyone listening on the audio feed in the warehouse heard Rogers confess he loves you, which naturally means every damn agent knows."

She groaned.

"Absa-fucking-lutely perfect. What do you plan to do about that, _sir?"_

"Oh, this is your problem, Hill," he replied. "Unless the World Security Council makes it a problem, then I have no problem with it. It hasn't affected either of you in the field so I see no reason to step in."

"I bet the betting pools are going haywire," she stated.

"Nothing was accomplished two days after the incident."

"Damn it. As if there weren't enough rumors already."

"I don't know, Hill. You've managed to win a lot of respect from people after that event. I don't think it'll be as big of an issue as you're imagining."

She shot him a withering look, and he sighed.

"You can come back for half days on Monday as long as you're cleared from the doctor. You must really miss your paperwork."

"Thank you, sir."

He stood, and headed for the door.

"And Hill?"

"Sir?"

"I'm glad you didn't die."

"Me too, sir."

"Don't put me through that again or I'll kill you myself."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you."


	15. Day 15: Cuddling

A/N: We've finally reached the part of the story that I meant to get to a long time ago, but Steve and Maria hijacked my story. It's a lot harder to incorporate the Winter Soldier into this AU than I thought, so bear with me. (Also- remember that Iron Man 3 does not happen in this little world)

* * *

**Day 15: Cuddling**

"I heard he ran all the way from Times Square!"

"That's so romantic. I never would have guessed."

"Hill and Rogers- surely there's more to that story."

Maria groaned as the conversation filtered from the break room. She normally wouldn't even be here, but Barton had stolen the last of her good English Breakfast, and she really wanted some caffeine. She debated turning around and just heading back to her desk, but maybe it would be easier to settle this once and for all. She slid through the doorway, mask firmly in place.

"My personal life is none of your business," she stated coldly, causing the small group of agents to freeze. "We're spies in a secret organization for fucks' sake. Now get your coffee and go."

They scattered, nodding deferentially. She fought the temptation to roll her eyes. It would only hurt the right side of her face. Grumbling to herself, she grabbed a mug of hot water and stalked back towards her office. She was going to murder Barton the next time she saw him. As she walked back, agents quickly moved out of her way. She could feel the eyes on her studying the bruising that still remained, but for once they lacked the usual hatred that came with being a woman in a high position. She frowned and loudly shut the door.

"I do believe we agreed on half days, Agent Hill," Nick Fury grumbled as he stepped into the small office overlooking the city.

Maria kept her eyes trained on the file in front of her as she reached towards her computer keyboard with her left hand and slowly entered a few keystrokes. She could feel the Director's eye on her and when she finished she met his gaze.

"I just started my half day two hours earlier to beat the morning traffic."

"You mean the rumor mill."

"That too."

"Did you have any housekeeping this morning?" he said after a moment.

"There was nothing to take out," she responded carefully and pushed the file to the side to give him her full attention.

An icy surge of dread swept through her at the code they'd agreed upon years ago to ensure a room was secure.

He eyed her, and she waited knowing he'd continue when he was good and ready.

"We have a problem. SHIELD's been compromised."

"What the hell are you talking about?" she blurted out as her head started to spin.

"Someone's been leaking classified information, and I'm not sure how far up it fucking goes. WSC's pushing Insight despite my warnings, and I'm almost positive Porter had help to try and take you out. Someone's trying to shut us down."

Maria closed her eyes for a second while her brain shifted into overdrive.

"The chances of neither you nor I noticing anything-"

"I know," he said shortly.

"Fuck. Fuckity Fuck Fuck Fuck."

Fury's lips quirked at his Deputy Director's outburst.

"Feel better?" he questioned.

"Not really," she replied. "What are we going to do about it?"

He was still, and she didn't back down as he carefully studied her with an almost apologetic expression. Her face hardened.

"Sir?" she pressed.

"It's going to be messy. I don't see it ending up anywhere but with the Romeo Protocol, possibly for both of us."

She closed her eyes once more and inhaled deeply.

"What do you need from me?" she asked firmly.

"We can't show our hand just yet until we get more information. I'm sending you to DC to coordinate Sitwell's venture and pretend to followup with Insight."

"I'll need STRIKE team for that if the Lemurian Star is the endgame," she said after a moment.

"I need Barton out of this. He's too much of a liability as a possible scapegoat after Loki."

"Just Romanoff then. Send Barton to London to keep an eye on Jane Foster. There's been some strange readings from her current project although nothing to worry about yet.

Fury nodded at her assessment.

"Do it. I'll send Rogers down to DC too. I'll need to bring him into Project Insight as originally planned. If needed, he can support Romanoff's objective. We'll have to keep him out of the way."

"We could give him what we have on Barnes. A source of mine may have a possible sighting on the East Coast, and I'm sure he'd be interested in visiting Director Carter."

Fury agreed, and she continued.

"Stark was talking about taking Pepper to the Malibu Mansion so they'll be out of the crossfire. Have you heard anything from the Bus?"

"They're operating on the fringe, so we'll keep them in the dark for now. Contact is only you or me."

Maria pursed her lips, but nodded.

"I know you're not up to your full potential, but this is going to move our timeline up. Will you be okay with heading to DC next week?"

"I'll be fine as long as there are no fistfights," she replied. "I've been doing PT for my hand at the Tower, and my side is just going to take time. Evasive maneuvers and defense are definitely a weakness for now."

"Don't trust anyone, Hill."

"Thanks Mad Eye."

"I'm serious, Maria. Trust no one."

She nodded, and he sighed.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

She inclined her head, her face completely blank.

"I told him he'd hate me one day. Looks like that day may come sooner than I thought."

Fury reached out, and rested his hand on her shoulder in a rare show of affection.

"We'll get those bastards, sir."

"That's my girl."

Fury stopped at the door, and turned back to the brunette.

"Constant Vigilance," he stated before disappearing down the hall.

She allowed herself a half smile, knowing it would be the last lighthearted moment for a very long time. Thirty seconds later, she got to work.

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The first thing she did when she got back to the Tower was stop by Pepper's office to collect Hermes. The other woman was on the phone, but waved her in with a smile as she finished her conversation.

"What can I do for you, Maria?"

"I have a favor to ask," she said with a sheepish smile. "I normally board Hermes when I'm going to be out of town, but I wanted to see if you'd be interested in taking him to Malibu with you instead."

The dog in question raised his head at his name, panting as he looked in between the two of them. With a yawn, he hauled himself to his feet before shoving his chin onto Maria's lap. She smiled down an him, and rubbed behind his ears.

"I'd be happy to do that," Pepper said with a smile. "He's such good company when Tony's in the workshop."

"Are you sure it's not any trouble?" the brunette questioned.

"He's no trouble at all!"

"I appreciate it," Maria replied. "He's always happier with a familiar face than at the kennels."

She went to stand, and Hermes wagged his tail before plopping down at Pepper's feet with a heavy sigh. Maria smiled as the phone rang once more, and quietly slipped out of Pepper's office.

Heading towards the elevator, she paused when her breathing hitched. Grimacing, she leaned against the wall and gingerly prodded her side. A wave of pain radiated from her stitches, and she focused on her breathing until the sensation passed. Pushing past it, she headed down towards the residential floors and debating taking more pain medication. The events of the day hit her full force, and she felt worn down. No. She needed a clear mind more than ever if what Nick said was true.

She headed directly to the sitting area and took a moment to compose herself before striding through the door of their quarters. She bit her lip at that thought. Since when did Rogers' rooms become 'their' quarters. The living room was empty but she could hear the faint sounds of what sounded suspiciously like Jimmy Buffett echoing from the kitchen. The left side of her mouth curved up and she leaned against the doorframe while quietly watching Steve sing along. Her stomach rumbled when he opened the oven to remove a baking sheet full of shrimp, and she decided to make her presence known.

"I didn't take you for a parrot-head," she commented.

He set the sheet down with a grin, and turned down the music. Putting down the potholders, he leaned down and firmly pressed his lips to hers. His arms snaked behind her, holding her close but not firm enough to aggravate her injuries. He pulled back after a moment leaving her with a soft moan at the lack of contact.

"Not that I minded that welcome, but what's the deal?" she asked, her voice low.

"No reason," he said with a lopsided grin.

Her heart clenched painfully, and he must have noticed some sign of reticence on her face.

"Maria?"

"I'm just tired and a little sore," she answered softly.

His face instantly shifted to one of concern, and he led her to the coach before handing her what appeared to be a margarita. She raised an eyebrow at the offering and he laughed.

"Margaritas seemed appropriate when Margaritaville was playing," he said. "Besides, I know you haven't taken any pain medication today and this will take the edge off."

She raised her glass in toast and he disappeared back into the kitchen. She took a long drag from the glass, and decided she'd tell him tomorrow. One more night of happiness wouldn't kill anyone, she mused. Leaning against the arm of the sofa, she pulled her feet up and stretched out. Steve walked back in a few minutes later, and playfully ruffled her hair before handing her a plate. She shot him a halfhearted glare, but was quickly distracted by the dish full of coconut shrimp, rice, and grilled pineapple. They ate in companionable silence, and he took her plate when they were through.

"What were you up to today?" she asked after a delightful bite of warm pineapple.

"Not much. Reviewed some new training exercises and spent some time arguing with Tony. Are you logging in again, or is it a quiet night?" he asked.

"You know me well," she said with a smirk. "But, I think I'd just like to watch a movie tonight."

He practically beamed at her, surprised by her decision. He quickly went to clean up the kitchen while she glanced through the DVD titles available. She paused and drew in a shuddered breath at the sheer domesticity of the evening before her thoughts drifted back to the information Fury had uncovered. This was why she didn't have fucking nice things. A twinge of pain in her hand made her look down and she realized she had been clenching her fists. She forced herself to relax by the time Steve reentered the room, her fingers curled around a DVD case.

As the opening scenes of the small seaside town of Amity flashed on the screen, she leaned back against Steve and sighed.

"You okay?" he questioned softly.

"I'm fine for the moment," she answered truthfully as he pulled her against him, shifting until they were both comfortable.

Halfway into the movie, the tourists refused to go into the water and Steve glanced down to see Maria had fallen asleep against him. He ran his hand softly down her arm, and she practically burrowed her head into his chest with a small frown. A smile played on his lips as he dropped his chin to her head and inhaled the spicy orange scent of her shampoo before returning his attention to the screen. He knew from past experiences if he tried to move her now, she'd only wake grumpily so he did his best to maximize her comfort. If she was still asleep by the end of the movie, he'd carry her to bed.

The next morning he awoke to an empty spot beside him. His eyebrows furrowed and he staggered out of bed, drawn to the kitchen by the smell of bacon. Maria was moving slowly, but efficiently around the stove, humming softly to herself. Turning, she handed Steve a cup of tea and a plate of eggs. He looked at her quizzically.

"Thanks for dinner last night," she said, her face soft.

He squeezed her shoulder and sat down at the table. Maria followed him with her own mug, and a piece of toast. He watched her fidget for a few minutes. Turning the toast in her hand as she tossed around the thought in her mind. Her expression tightened and she looked up at him with a clear gaze.

"Fury's sending me to DC in a few days to coordinate a mission. I've already talked to Pepper and she's going to take Hermes with her to Malibu."

Her fingers twisted the tag off the tea bag.

"You just started back," Steve said.

She could hear the note of worry in his voice, and reached out and grabbed his hand.

"It's just office work and meetings. I'll be sitting most of the day."

"As long as you're sure," he said firmly. "I was uh- actually thinking about going to see Peggy sometime soon. This might be a good time, since you're headed down too."

She looked up suddenly and caught his expression. She frowned.

"Did you think that would upset me?" she asked softly.

He was silent.

"Steve, Peggy will always be a part of your life, and I'll never be upset about your connection to her. She's an amazing woman, but remember with her diagnosis she may not remember you or the current events."

He nodded, and flashed her a relieved smile. She smiled back, glad she wouldn't have to divulge her information about Barnes just yet. She'd wait until they were both down in DC and away from this clusterfuck in New York.

"Besides, someone has to make sure you don't work too hard," he added.

She shot him a look that was only half playful.

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They had been in DC for a week, and Maria still hadn't heard anything from Fury. If he hadn't told her himself, she almost would have assumed it was some elaborate ruse, but instead she pushed it back to a corner of her mind where it only nagged at her sporadically. She shifted her focus to the Lemurian Star where Sitwell was heading an op that was due to run south. She already had Romanoff on standby. She analyzed the screens in front of her once more with a frown before questioning another agent if they'd heard anything from the ship. They were already an hour passed the scheduled check in and her gut told her it was time. Pursing her lips, she considered the odds and picked up the phone once she was back in the security of her office.

"Are you interested in joining in on some action?" she said when he picked up.

"Hello to you too," Steve said with a laugh.

She fought back a smile.

"Whatcha got for me?"

"I need you here in the next two hours for a recovery."

"I'm out for a run, but I'll head your way as soon as I clean up."

"Finish your run. I'll send Romanoff to pick you up."

"Yes, ma'am."

She hung up and covered her mouth with her hands at the unfamiliar feeling that rose with the thought of the conversation she needed to have with Steve about Barnes. This was going to kill him. Exhaling slowly, she planned no less than six extraction plans for STRIKE team and vowed she'd talk to Steve when they got back. There was no room for emotion in the game she was now playing. Someone wanted to destroy SHIELD, but first, she had to deal with Sitwell.


	16. Day 16: In Battle, Part I

Day 16: In Battle, Part I

Once Rogers and Romanoff had joined the rest of STRIKE team in the aircraft, Maria devoted her time to the information in front of her. Coulson had actually been the one to note the first discrepancy when he was going through case notes searching for information about the possible location of Captain America. It appeared as a footnote- a casual sighting here and there and a trail of bodies that Maria eventually linked to a ghost. They called him the Winter Soldier, and it was a name that even Romanoff mentioned once with a frown.

Responsibility had always been attributed to either an old KGB project or a byproduct of Red Room experimentation, but the more Maria dug the more she connected the similarities of the assassinations with an individual that had experienced the super soldier serum. Red lights flashed in her mind, and she swore when she determined there was a 94.6% chance that she had just found Sergeant Bucky Barnes. Then aliens attacked New York, and damn it all to hell, she had to focus on saving the world before one man.

When she brought her file to Fury, he swore and told her to drop it for now. She vehemently argued with his decision even though she agreed with his assessment that successfully retrieving an actively programed asset at that point in time was slim to none. So, she kept her ear to the ground and continued to update her file. She sent Barton and Romanoff his direction one mission much to Fury's displeasure, but nothing came of it. Then, she lost him. The Winter Soldier hadn't been seen or credited in months, and so Maria brought the file back to Fury in hopes of passing it to Steve who was currently twiddling his thumbs and volunteering to rebuild houses and schools in impoverished areas around the country. He'd have a better chance than anyone of breaking through Bucky's programming.

Now that she was banned from active duty, she discovered she had a lot more time to think about the puzzle that was the Winter Soldier. In addition to the information Fury kept dispersing, she knew something was wrong with her previous assessment. She just couldn't pinpoint it exactly. Frowning, she logged in to the database and pulled up Rogers' file. She sighed as her eyes flickered over the words she had long ago memorized, but she held out hope that seeing it in written form would jog her memory.

The shrill ring of her phone startled her and a curse flew from her lips. _Shit_. She was becoming more paranoid every day. Closing the database, she locked up the file and headed back to the control room as the aircraft neared the Indian Ocean. Something was off about this mission too, she mused. She couldn't help the sinking feeling that warned her this was somehow all connected. Glancing at the clock, she made a mental note to conference with the Director as soon as he arrived in the city.

Once she was sure her team was headed home no worse for wear- fucking pirates- she headed towards the Director's office, glaring at anyone in her way. Her eyes scanned the hallway while she mentally logged any suspicious behavior or personnel groupings. She may be slower than normal, but she still walked with purpose and kept a blank face despite her amusement at the agents slipping out of her line of sight as if they were hiding. _Hiding_. _Hydra_. She froze, and covered her expression by glancing down at her tablet with a frown.

Her mind quickly catalogued the possibilities and probability that Hydra was back, and had possibly never gone away. Her stomach churned with the implications. If her hypothesis was true then it was only a matter of time before someone realized she had pieced it together, and if that was the case then she and Nick needed to get out of the same location. All it would take was one bomb to wipe them both out. If Hydra really was back, she wasn't going down without a motherfucking fight. Her face was stone cold when she pushed her way into Fury's office only to be greeted with his outstretched phone with a typed message telling her to watch what she said.

If anyone were listening in on their current conversation they would be aware of the Lemurian Star situation and explosion, (Really Natasha? Another ship?) and the fact that Fury was assigning her to evaluate all personnel since she was still technically on medical leave. Their conversation according to typed messages was completely different. Fury agreed with her assessment and ordered her to leave immediately following their discussion. She was to head to the safe house in Pennsylvania to do what she could to protect the few agents on assignment Fury had vetted clear and to pick up a package for him. He'd call her with a time and location to rendezvous. Until then, she was dark. She nodded sharply, and he dismissed her with some stupid anecdote about the next season of The Amazing Race. Grabbing a stack of files, she reminded him she was only working half days, and calmly walked out of the Triskelion.

**shieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshield**

"Marc, Is this a secure line? I'll wait... Listen, there are problems, and I can't elaborate on that. I know... Just, do me a favor... If my name comes up, throw me under the bus... For fuck's sake, YES. It's not worth your career... I've never asked you for anything, but _please_. Do this for your family. I'll be fine... You may not hear from me for awhile... I love you too."

**shieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshield**

She paused at a rest stop somewhere near the Maryland border and pulled out her tablet to create a secure connection. She briefly ran through her black ops in progress and decided to recall a few of them. The rest would be fine on their own for several months if not longer. She sent Barton an encoded message telling him to stay dark until he heard from Fury, Natasha, or herself. He'd be fine in London away from any possible backlash. Checking the time, she figured the plane carrying STRIKE team should be landing and she dialed Natasha.

"Romanoff."

"Commander, we've just landed and are being cleared by medical."

"If you haven't heard already, you're meeting with Fury as soon as you and Rogers are clear."

"Got it."

Maria could hear Steve in the background and she swallowed hard.

"Can I talk to him?"

There was a moment of silence and she assumed Romanoff was passing him the phone.

"Hill?"

"Hey, you'll be debriefing with Fury. I'm on an errand run and I'm not sure when I'll be back."

"You okay?" he questioned softly.

His voice was tinged with a touch of anger and concern, and she knew he was frustrated with the mission.

"I hate medical leave," she grumbled and he laughed.

She tried to memorize the sound, and briefly closed her eyes. There was a slight dampness on her cheeks, and wondered when the tears had started. She exhaled slowly, and fought to keep the emotions at bay.

"Since I can't be out in the field, I'm just taking care of some mindless housekeeping."

"Don't work too hard," he said fondly.

"Take care of yourself, Steve."

She hung up quickly, wishing her last sentence hadn't sounded so final. Wiping her eyes, she sent one last message to Fury before dismantling her phone.

**shieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshield**

Steve felt his lips curve up at the sound of her voice, and quickly glanced up to make sure no one was in listening distance. Natasha gave him a look, but he ignored it. He was still ill with her and Fury about the side mission he had been unaware of until he found Natasha in the control room. In the past, he had tried to understand SHIELD's need for compartmentalization, but this could have gotten someone killed. If he was in charge in the field, he needed to know everything that could affect the mission. Pushing back his frustration, he frowned slightly at Maria's abrupt hang up. Natasha caught his expression.

"How's she feeling?"

"She's on an errand run, Romanoff. Something about housekeeping since she's still on medical leave."

He turned to head towards Fury's office, mentally preparing his list of grievances and missed the tension that briefly flashed across the Russian's face. If he had been paying attention, he would have seen the assassin redial before hanging up with a frown.

**shieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshield**

Fury contacted her 12 hours later at the safe house and she gave him the number of her new burner phone.

"How did Rogers handle it?"

"He was sufficiently disgusted with Insight. Pierce is still pushing the go ahead, and I played along. This may go higher than you or I even imagined."

"Be careful, Nick," she said after a moment.

"You too, Maria."

She was about to hang up when his voice stopped her.

"And Hill- if this goes to hell, initiate Romeo Protocol."

"Yes sir."

Not even three hours later, she got the call from his car telling her to stay dark. She bit her lip at the sound of bullets hitting over the phone when they were cut off. She took the long way to the underground bunker and tripled back to make sure she wasn't followed. Her face was tight as she round the corner, and when she saw him she didn't know whether to hug him or punch him.

"Director," she stated with annoyance.

"Took you fucking long enough," he responded. "I need to update Rogers. Agent 13 has informed me he's out of the apartment for now, so I should be able to slip in."

"Not when you're bleeding all over the floor," she retorted.

He silenced her with a look.

"We'll go through the basement door in the laundry room," she said with a sigh.

"Do you have the vial?"

"No, I drove all the way to fucking Pennsylvania because I've decided to become Amish," she grumbled.

His lips twitched, and he held out his hand.

"It's an automatic dispenser- no syringes necessary. Just unlock the release and press the button and you should have roughly twenty minutes before your heart slows enough to simulate death."

He nodded, and she knew there was something else on his mind.

"Maria-" he paused. "The Winter Soldier is in DC."

She swore.


	17. Day 17: Interlude

Once Nick was deposited into the armchair, Maria took a second glance around the apartment SHIELD had set up for Rogers. Her lips twitched at the collection of vinyl and she wondered at the implications of playing Harry James. Shrugging, the reached for the record and increased the volume as the speakers popped.

"It's been a long, long time?" Nick quietly asked.

"Sue me, I'm just a bit maudlin," she retorted.

The orchestra picked up, and she closed her eyes for a moment. '_You'll never know how many dreams I dreamed about you'_ indeed, she mused. Sighing heavily, she snapped back to attention and made sure Fury was comfortable.

"You're mother henning, Hill," he muttered.

"You're an ungrateful bastard."

He flashed her a smile, and she quietly slipped out of the window. She shivered once, and looked around at the unexpected weight of being watched. She took a moment to check the sight lines, noting nothing out of the ordinary. With a frown, she reluctantly headed back to the car parked several blocks away, pulling Steve's jacket tightly around her body.

She doesn't have long to wait. Not even two hours later, the transmissions from Agent 13 are blaring in her ear and she's simultaneously dialing Romanoff.

"Get your ass to the hospital ASAP," she barks out. "Fury's down."

She ends the call, cutting off Natasha's swear. There will be time to deal with her friend later. Right now, she's trying to stay afloat in an organization that wants her head on a platter. She knew Nick should have taken the Winter Soldier's presence more seriously. If the old bastard actually died, she'd revive him and kill him again. Romeo Protocol be damned. Her phone is clutched in her hand as the door to the viewing room opens behind her, the reflection clearly Romanoff. They stand in silence.

Maria swallows hard when Steve bursts in behind her. She twists her head briefly to acknowledge him, but he's focused on the scene in front. Her face contorts in a flash of pain when the time is called. She won't know for another thirty minutes at least if the protocol worked. Her stomach's knotted with tension, the emotion on her face real as she confronts the possibility that she may be well and truly alone in a seemingly impossible situation.

_Goddamnit_.

She turns away from the sight of her mentor, bloodied and still in front of her, and disappears out the door without a word to any of the other occupants. Sitwell tries to catch her eye, but she ignores his look. She draws in a rough breath in the hallway before steeling her shoulders and her nerves. A flash of movement catches her eye, and she looks up to see Rumlow studying her with an appraising expression. She shoots him a withering glare and dials Alexander Pierce.

"Director Fury has passed," she bluntly informs him.

There's a moment of silence on the other end, and she can visualize the other man analyzing his next move. She fights the urge to roll her eyes. She's always hated the politics behind the World Security Council, although she'd play them if she was forced.

"My condolences, Deputy Director. I will inform the others. I assume you'll be responsible in arranging matters?"

"Yes sir. I'll keep you informed."

"Please do."

She ended the call, and took the elevator to the lower level of the hospital. When she quietly entered the room, Natasha was standing in front of the body. Her shoulders were hunched, and Maria wanted to curse Fury and his insistence on compartmentalization. She felt a finger lightly brush her hand, and she looked up to see Steve looking at her with concern. She mutely shook her head, but she can tell he's not going to let this one go. She leans into him, his arms folding around her.

"It's not safe," she barely whispers, and she can feel him tighten beneath her. "Whatever he told you to do, stick with it."

She knows he wants to protest as she pulls away with a regretful glance. She wants to tell him more, and she knows he can read the hesitation on her face. There's a sound outside the door, and she knows she's out of time.

"I need to take him," she simply states.

Agent 13 is waiting for her outside with an ambulance, and she knows she only has minutes before someone realizes she's taken the body. They quickly load the vehicle, and Maria dismissed the other girl with a nod. She exits the parking lot without another glance backward.

A few miles away, she pulls over and quickly inserts an IV into Fury's arm and places an oxygen mask over his face. Her eyes study him for any source of movement, but the man remains still. Her heart clenches and she pushes back the sudden surge of emotion knowing he still has fifteen minutes left. She slips back into the driver's seat and continues to head to the predetermined location.

She pulls into the bunker with three minutes to spare, and wastes no time in ordering the medical staff to remove him and hook him up to the machines waiting. Her eyes never leave his face. Just when she assumes there's no hope left, he draws in a ragged breath and his eyes flicker open. She bows her head and blinks back tears.

"That's an unnecessary waste of emotion, Agent Hill."

"I fucking hate you," she whispers. "Now let the doctors take care of you. We need you, sir."

Once she was sure he was cooperating with the medical staff, she headed to the small conference room and began studying the documents Fury had collected. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but a nurse brought her a tray with a sandwich and some chips before leaving with a disapproving glare. Maria took a bite of the sandwich and turned back to the laptop where she continued to hack through SHIELD's servers. She trusted Romanoff to watch Steve's back while she continued to compile more information on possibly Hydra connections.

"He's awake and asking for you, ma'am."

Maria blearily rubbed her eyes, and gave a brief nod of thanks to the agent standing in the doorway. Glancing at her watch, she realized it had been nearly twenty four hours since she brought Fury to the bunker. She vowed to get some sleep after checking in with Nick.

"You'll be no use to us if you don't get some sleep."

"Says the man in the hospital bed," she countered. "I lost track of time."

"Where are we?"

"Underground," she cheekily replied.

"Don't be an ass."

"You are officially dead, and there seems to be no reports of anything suspicious. Romanoff and Rogers were last tracked to a Camp Lehigh, and there were records of a missile strike shortly after. They haven't been sighted since, but Rumlow's team appears to still be on the move. Sitwell's officially been turned, the motherfucker. I'm almost certain he's reporting back to someone on the World Security Council."

"Good work, Hill. Now get some sleep."

"Yes, sir."

**shieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshieldshield**

"_Deputy Director, we have a situation._"

She jolted up at the voice in her ear, and then glanced at her phone. Well six hours of sleep were better than none. Moving gingerly, she was mindful of her still healing ribs as she pulled on her shoes and headed towards the makeshift situation room.

"What have we got?"

"There was a Winter Soldier Sighting approximately ten minutes ago. We also confirmed a visual of Captain Rogers and Agent Romanoff with Senator Stern."

"Those two can't stay out of trouble," she muttered to herself.

She scanned the surveillance pictures and glanced at the city map. There was a good chance there would be a showdown between the Winter Soldier and the Captain in the next hour if her triangulation calculations were correct.

"Where was the last location for Rumlow's team?" she questioned.

"Not far from Rogers and Romanoff, ma'am."

"Shit."

She rubbed the bridge of her nose. There was no time to form a proper extraction team, but if she didn't get someone downtown soon, Rogers and Romanoff were going to be in more trouble than they realized.

"Keep me informed of both Rogers' location and Rumlow's. Let me know immediately when the Winter Soldier makes an appearance."

She left the room without another word. Retrieving her backup piece from her quarters, she slipped out of the bunker and headed towards Rumlow's last known location. She knew they'd be expecting her to go after Rogers, but if she could get into the unit before they moved in, there was a better chance of success.

"Ma'am, we have reports of an incident involving the Winter Soldier and Captain Rogers."

"Copy that."

She almost scoffed at how easy if was to disarm one of the guards when she spotted the armored van. She quickly slipped into the uniform and prayed to god her assumptions were correct. Sliding into the back, she tightened her grip on the standard taser and hoped her fellow guards weren't feeling talkative.

She leaned back as the vehicle shifted into drive.

She bided her time as Rogers, Romanoff, and an unknown were thrown into the vehicle. From behind her mask, she could see the hitch in the redhead's breathing and hoped the wound wasn't too severe. Steve kept throwing Romanoff worried glances while she tried to get a read on the unknown man accompanying them.

Rogers angrily turned towards them.

"We need a doctor here. If we don't put pressure on that wound, she's going to bleed out in the truck."

Maria highly doubted that. She'd seen Natasha in worse situations, but she figured the moment was right. They were nearing the overpass where hopefully one of her team had left a vehicle. She hit the button on her taser, bringing the weapon to life. Rogers tensed and she paused, the guard behind her remaining silent. Without warning, she swung her weapon into the guard's midsection followed by a kick that had the man out cold. She took a moment to catch her breath, her ribs severely protesting the sudden movement, before pulling off her helmet.

"That thing was squeezing my brain," she grumbled.

She could have laughed at the expressions on the faces of the group in front of her. She tried to smooth back her hair, and glanced at the man in front of her.

"Who the hell is this guy?"

"Maria?"

Steve's expression was almost vacant, as he stared at her in confusion. She sighed. Explanations were going to have to wait. She turned to Natasha.

"Do you trust him?" she questioned.

"Sam Wilson," Romanoff said with a nod. "He's on our side."

Maria ignored him for now and pulled out the blowtorch she'd stashed away.

"Who's this chick?" she heard Wilson ask.

No one answered. Maria kicked out the circle she'd just cut through and the van slowed.

"Drop through, and roll to the side. Stay down for sixty seconds before you even think about standing. Go now," she ordered. "We've only got one shot."

No one questioned her orders and she made sure Rogers was through before tucking and rolling herself. She grimaced when she hit the ground, the wind knocked out of her lungs.

"Fuck," she murmured as her eyes watered.

A hand appeared in her line of sight, and she accepted the help up from Wilson. He pulled her to her feet, and she took a moment to locate Rogers and Romanoff. Natasha was moving slow, but gave her a thumbs up before waving off Rogers who then focused his attention on her. Before she could say anything, he was in front of her. His hand cupped her cheek as he pressed his lips to hers.

"Okay then," she heard Sam mutter behind her.

Steve pulled away, his hand running down her side. He frowned when she winced, and she batted his hand away with a glare.

"I'm pretty sure you told me it was going to be meetings and paperwork," he chastised.

"Someone had to save your ass," she replied.

"And it had to be you?" he responded with a hint of incredulity.

"Yes." she stated somberly. "In case you haven't noticed, we're kind of in a tailspin. Now, move it."

She led them through a series of allies before stopping briefly.

"I have a car waiting, but I'd prefer to continue on foot a little farther if everyone can handle it," she said with a look towards Romanoff.

The redhead nodded, despite Steve's protest.

They continue to walk for another few blocks, before Maria led them to a van parked behind an abandoned warehouse. She doubled back a few times, her eyes glued on the rearview mirror. Ten minutes later, she turned towards their new headquarters. Natasha shot her a questioning glance as they piled out of the vehicle towards the abandoned gate. Maria ignored her for now, and continued to lead the group farther down the sewage entrance. Unlocking the door, she gestured them inside before sparing a searching glance behind her. When nothing registered, she closed the gate behind her.

"Medical's waiting, Commander," another agent supplied.

"She's going to want to see him first," she stated.

Natasha met and held her gaze, her mouth tightening. Maria refused to back down. She'd deal with the redhead's feeling of betrayal later. Steve and Sam looked between the two women, not entirely aware of what was happening.

"Follow me."


End file.
